Written In Red
by Ichiko Wind Gryphon
Summary: The Witch was wicked and cruel, they all said. But one man refused to believe any of it. Armed with only his pen and his wit, Liiku sets off on a daring journey to prove the innocence of the most hated criminal in all of Oz. Fiyeraba.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, my dearly devoted readers! I have returned with a story I have been itching to write for quite some time now. You may recall a man named "Liiku" in the story "Cursed Blood." Well, he was by far one of my favorite personal characters of all time, and I wanted to do a story focused around my favorite bad-ass, smart-ass reporter! However, bare in mind this has nothing to do with "Cursed Blood" or its predecesors, as this story is entirely seperate from the trilogy.**

**So now, sit back, and enjoy this brand new tale!**

**-IWG**

* * *

It was a bright and glorious morning, with the sun shining proudly in the bright blue sky. Fluffy white clouds floated lazily through the sky, wafted by a gentle, cooling breeze. The weather was warm but not stuffy, the perfect weather for thousands of students moving in for their first day of college.

Liiku snorted in distaste. Surely all of this was nothing more than a magical whim to impress the incoming students by no more than Madame Morrible.

The freshman gazed upon the castle-like structure of the place; grand and regal, and very impressive. Hauling one of his briefcases over his shoulder, he trudged up to the main hall, where all the incoming students would be having their freshman orientation.

"Promise me you'll keep your neck out of trouble," a worried woman's voice said tentatively.

Liiku huffed, rubbing his spiky black hair. "I'll be fine! Honestly, mother, stop fussing over me!"

But Mrs. Thriggs had every right to worry over her son. He was full of wit and dry humor and trouble seemed to follow him wherever he went. His intuition and keen insight gave his previous teachers countless headaches and he had received an unofficial label as a grade A smartass. But it was only his nature. Whenever Liiku found something peculiar he would question it until he got his desired answer or until people chased him out for his constant badgering.

Liiku studied the main hall with his usual critical gaze. No detail escaped his vision. "Strange, the stone they use for this building is Vinkan limestone. Awfully expensive, especially hauling it such a long distance. And why use Vinkan limestone? Gilikin granite is cheaper and a bit more durable. But I guess it's all in appearance. Gilikin granite doesn't have such a detailed texture. Hm."

He mumbled all of this under his breath, and Mrs. Thriggs sighed. "What am I going to do with you, boy?"

"Excuse me?" Liiku snapped, whipping around. "I'm eighteen! I'm not a boy anymore!"

Mrs. Thriggs rolled her eyes and helped lug Liiku's things into the hall.

"And another strange thing, I almost see no Animals. I don't think I have even seen one. Not even on the train. How racist."

"Shush, before your big mouth gets you in trouble again!"

"Well, am I not allowed to speak my personal opinion?" Liiku said defensively.

"I am not saying you cannot speak your mind, I am only saying you watch what you say around these people," his mother cautioned. "I don't want you expelled from _another_ school!"

"I was only expelled because I spoke the truth!" Liiku protested. True, back in his high school, Liiku had discovered the principal was having an affair. When he published it in the school's newspaper, with every detail and evidence he had obtained, the principal immediately expelled Liiku for "spreading lies." But of course Liiku was right. The principal refused to admit his mistake and refused to admit him back into the school.

"Just be careful," she warned. She then kissed his forehead. "I love you. Write often!"

"I will," he sighed. She kissed him again before she left to catch the train back to their home on the Munchkinland border.

Liiku let out a loud sigh of relief. Finally. Some real freedom. He looked anxiously around the main hall, his icy-blue eyes taking in every detail. The building looked about two hundred years old, based on the sculptures and faded mural on the ceiling. He decided it would be best to start mingling with his soon-to-be classmates and learn everything he could. He approached a boy a bit shorter than himself and began to chat.

"Hello, I am Liiku Thriggs, from Munchkinland," he said, shaking the boy's hand.

"Oh, hello there! My name's Boq! I'm from Nest Harrows and I'm part-Munchkin!" he said eagerly.

Liiku eyed him curiously. Although he was short--no taller than five foot two, Liiku guessed-- he wasn't _abnormally_ short.

"You're pretty tall for a Munchkin," Liiku observed.

"Like I said, I am only part-Munchkin!" Boq said. He seemed fidgety and nervous, not to mention kind of nerdy-looking with his stupid stocking cap he wore over his mousy-brown hair. "Oh! Look! There's Galinda! Daughter of the Governor of the Upplands!"

Liiku turned. His eyes landed upon a very pretty blond girl with a slender frame, clothed in a very expensive-looking dress suit and holding an equally-expensive purse in her arms. She was chatting and giggling with a few nearby students.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Boq sighed.

"Her? Goodness, Boq, girls like her are a dime a dozen. I bet she has absolutely no intelligence in that blond skull of hers," Liiku said with disgust. "Go find someone who has a higher IQ than a potted plant."

"Don't go judging people whom you know nothing about!" Boq said defensively. "She could be fairly intelligent!"

Liiku laughed loudly. "That's the first time in months I have laughed so hard! Please, I have seen more than my fair share of girls! Spare me your sympathy. She's not worth it. Besides, someone like her is going to have no interest at all of someone of your stature."

Boq turned red and walked away angrily. Liiku shrugged. His loss.

Suddenly the room went dead quiet as all eyes turned to one side of the room. Curious, Liiku followed their gaze. And his jaw dropped wide open.

Standing there, to the side of the hall, was a freshman girl with long ebony hair tied back into a braid, wearing a navy blue skirt and jacket . . . but her skin was as green as emeralds. Liiku had never seen something so fascinating in all his life. Instantly his curiosity was piqued. He _had_ to talk to this girl.

But as he looked around, he noticed most people were staring at her with horror or repulsion. Liiku felt a twang of anger. How can they be disgusted at her when she was without a doubt the most fascinating person they had ever encountered? Who had ever seen a live human being with such a unique skin color? No one! They should be interested, not disgusted! Surely she didn't _want_ to be green.

The girl had a very fierce and angry look in her eye when she saw the entire student body was gaping at her.

"What?! What are you all staring at?!" she spat angrily. "Do I have something in my teeth? Is my _underskirt _showing?" she said sarcastically, clutching her skirt with mock-embarrassment. Liiku was the only one who snickered at her joke, and not in a cruel way. She slammed her briefcase down on the ground. "Ok, let me get this over with. Yes, I have always been green. No, I am not sea-sick. No, I did _not_ eat grass as a child--"

Liiku laughed. This girl definitely interested her. Such a quirky and dry sense of humor. And such a lively attitude.

The girl's tirade was cut off when an older man, assumingly her father, scorned her and began speaking in an aggressive tone with her. They talked to each other in low angry voices for a moment before the man turned away. It was only then Liiku noticed the girl in the wheelchair besides the man. Was this the green girl's sister? They certainly looked nothing alike. Well, maybe the eyes . . .

Liiku turned his attention away from the trio of newcomers. The rest of the student body had turned to one another and began whispering in low voices to one another.

"Oh my god, how disgusting!"

"What an ugly little frog!"

"How could she even show her face here?"

"If I was her, I would have killed myself long ago!"

Liiku fumed at the shallowness and cruelty of the people around him. But he should have expected as much.

There was a commotion at the front of the room, and Liiku saw a very large elderly woman who strongly resembled a carp enter the room.

"Good day, my fellow students!" she said in a thick and luxurious voice. Liiku wanted to vomit. "I am Madame Morrible, headmistress of Shiz University! It is a welcoming sight to see such fine and able-bodied students here. And I speak for all my fellow faculty members when I say we have the highest of hopes for . . . _most_ of you."

Liiku snorted. Now whatever did she mean by that?

The preppy blond girl Boq had pointed out-- Glinda, was it?-- came up to her.

"Um, Madame?" she said in a squeaky and obnoxious voice. "Perhaps you recall my essay I submitted a while ago back in the spring? 'Magic Wands! Need They Have A Point?' "

"Oh, yes, I remember," Madame Morrible said darkly.

"Then can you please tell me why I wasn't admitted to your sorcery seminar?"

"Why, dear, I simply do not think you have the talent for my seminar," Madame Morrible said plainly. Galinda's face fell. Oh, how Liiku wished he had his camera! But he did have his notepad and pen handy, and he began to write furiously.

"Besides, I am not currently accepting any student into my seminar unless they posess some form of advanced magic. And I'm afraid Galinda, you do not have the talent of which I am speaking of."

Galinda looked at Morrible in horror. It was as if she had been told her parents had been horribly murdered. It was priceless.

"Now, students, I will be giving you out your room assignments shortly, after our presentation. Please, have a seat!" Madame Morrible said. Galinda huffed and sat down off to the side next to her posse, looking about to break out in tears.

Liiku immediately looked for the green-skinned girl and chose the seat right next to the one she had taken. She gave him a cold stare. He just smiled politely back at her.

"My name is Liiku Thriggs. What's your name?" he asked, holding out his hand.

She seemed shocked at his politeness, and stared at a moment at his hand before she took it. He could tell she wasn't quite used to people being so nice to her. "Elphaba. Elphaba Thropp."

"Pleased to meet you," Liiku said.

"Oh, really?" she asked, becoming suspicious. "Or did you just come over here to gape at my hideous skin?"

"Well, can you blame me if I'm a bit curious?" he asked.

Elphaba crossed her arms over her chest and stared coldly straight ahead, not meeting his gaze. "I guess not," she said bitterly.

"So were you born with your skin color?"

"Yes," Elphaba said thickly.

"Do you know how you got it?"

_"No."_

"Why do you think you have green skin?"

"I don't know! I just do! Now stop harassing me or I'll break your arm!" Elphaba said in a very angry voice. Likku shuddered inwardly at her icy gaze. _If looks could kill . . ._

"Ok, sorry, just asking," Liiku said.

"Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?" Elphaba said.

"Multiple times. I was expelled from my high school because I found out my principal was having an affair. And I published it in the school newspaper."

Elphaba whipped her head around. "You're kidding me," she said.

Liiku laughed. "Nope. I am a seeker of truth. I don't rest until I get the answers I want."

Elphaba gave him a very small smile, her lips twitching upwards ever so slightly. "Well, sorry I can't satisfy your curiosity, but I have no idea why my skin is as green as pond scum."

"I'd say it's more like the color of freshly cut grass," Liiku said seriously.

"I'm not sure if that's an insult or a compliment," Elphaba said, rolling her eyes.

"I think 'grass' sounds a lot nicer than 'pond scum.' "

Elphaba gave him another small smile.

"Master Thriggs," Morrible announced. "You will be rooming with Master Riddle."

Liiku stood, only to see Boq stand up as well. Their eyes met, and Liiku rolled his eyes. Well, could be worse. Liiku grabbed his things and took his room key from the fish woman and started lugging his things up to his dorm room.

"So your last name is Riddle?" Liiku asked.

"Yes," Boq said. "So . . . uh . . . what are you majoring in?"

"Journalism," Liiku said immediately. "I want to be a reporter."

"Sounds fascinating. I want to be a businessman of some type, not quite sure what yet," Boq said. He pulled out a sheet of paper. "And we're also supposed to fill out these roommate agreement forms . . ."

"As long as I don't have to pick up after your drunken ass every weekend, I think we'll get along just fine." Liiku said, slapping Boq on the shoulder. He winced.

"I don't drink," Boq said defensively.

"Perfect! Then I have absolutely no reason to kill you," Liiku said in a very serious voice. They came to their room and he unlocked the door. Boq stared at Liiku in horror.

"Uh, that was a joke, right?" Boq said quietly.

Liiku slowly turned around and gave him the creepiest smile he could manage. "I don't know. _WAS IT?"_

Liiku then started laughing maniacally. Boq whimpered.

_Oh, this is going to be a fun year, _Liiku thought.

* * *

**"This is great and all," you say. "But what happened to 'Broken Angel?' "**

**Please read my profile page for more information about that story.**

**Once again, reviews are much appreciated and loved!**


	2. Chapter 2

After Liiku had unpacked and stowed away all his personal belongings, he organized his desk and set out several notebooks for each of his classes. First on his scedule was History with someone named Doctor Dillamond. He stuffed a few notebooks and textbooks into his satchel in preparation for the first day of classes tomorrow.

On the other side of the incredibly small dorm room, Boq was precariously putting everything in perfect order. All of his clothes were neatly and perfectly folded, and he placed each item of clothing into his dresser diligently. Liiku couldn't help but laugh at the Munchkin.

"Why are you being so neat when you're just going to mess everything up later?" Liiku said.

"I like being neat," Boq said. "It makes life a bit easier."

Liiku sighed and shook his head. "Hey, do you know if this place has a school newspaper?"

"Well of course they do, practically every university does," Boq said in a slightly annoyed voice.

"Great! I'll be back soon!" Liiku said, darting out the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"To go get a job!"

Liiku burst out of his dormitory and onto one of the many streets criss-crossing across the campus. To the side was a stack of newspapers, and he was pleased to see it was in fact the school's very own paper. Flipping through the pages, he found the address of the printing company, and consulting his school map, he headed off for the Wesling Building.

It was about a ten minute walk to the older, almost run-down looking building. It was on the outskirts of the university grounds, and a thick forest was just behind the building. Boldly stepping up to the main doors, Liiku shoved the heavy wooden door open.

A desk was in front of him, a crotchy old secretary busily talking on the telephone and jotting down on her notebook.

"Uh-huh . . . I see . . . How interesting . . . uh-huh . . . uh-huh . . ." the secretary was saying.

Liiku walked up to the desk and calmly looked around. The white paint was peeling off some of the walls, and there were three or four very old and worn couches arranged in a circle off to the side. The entire place wreaked of ill up-keeping.

The secretary turned to Liiku. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I want a job writing for the school newspaper!" Liiku said confidently.

The secretary took off her spectacles and began cleaning them. "I'm sorry, we're not currently accepting employees."

"Then don't pay me; I'll write stories for free," Liiku said.

"I don't think you understand. We don't accept students such as yourselves. We only take experienced field workers."

"But I do have quite a bit of experience," he said. "I was the main editor and writer for my high school's paper."

"Fascinating," the secretary said, not sounding impressed at all.

"_And_ I got _expelled_ for the stories I published."

The secretary lifted a thin eyebrow. "Is that so?" She still didn't sound impressed.

"Here, just let me speak with the manager, I want to be a reporter when I graduate from Shiz," Liiku said.

"I am sorry, but he's currently very busy at the moment--"

"Madam Greyeter, is that any way to speak to a potentially prestigious young apprentice?"

Liiku turned his gaze to behind the desk, where a tall, broad-shouldered man in his late forties emerge from the hallways. He gave Liiku a broad smile.

"So, you want to be a reporter?" the man asked.

"Yes, sir," Liiku said. "I am a pursuer of truth!"

The man laughed richly. "Is that so? Well, kid, you've got spunk. I like that. However, as you may be able to tell, we aren't doing so well right now, so I am sorry to inform you I can't offer you an official job. But, I'll give you an option. If you can prove your worth, I'll let you be one of our writers, but I am afraid I can't give you a salary."

Liiku grinned. "That's good enough for me! As long as I can get some stories published, I'm good!"

"Then prove me how good you really are," the man said. "Submit your story to me no later than next week. If it's good, then you'll be an official editor for the Shiz Post!"

Liiku shook his hand. "See you in one week!"

"Oh, by the way, I'm Mr. Marx. What's your name?"

"Liiku. Liiku Thriigs."

"Well, Liiku, I hope we will be seeing more of each other soon!"

"Count on it!" Liiku turned and walked out without another word. He already had the perfect story in mind.

* * *

Liiku spent the rest of his day wandering about the campus, looking for Elphaba. Honestly, how hard could she be to find?! Liiku was starting to get frustrated. He checked all the major student hang-out spots; the quad, Suicide Canal, the main hall, the dining halls . . . but he couldn't find her. Grumbling, he decided to check the library.

The library was one of the bigger buildings on campus, holding tens of thousands of books on every subject imaginable. Liiku pushed open the oak doors and scoured the library, and was immensely relieved to find Elphaba sitting in the back corner of the library, her long hooked nose buried in a thick old book. Grinning, Liiku ran up to her side.

"Studying already? Classes haven't even started!" Liiku laughed.

Elphaba screeched and jumped about a foot off her seat. "Sweet Lurline, Liiku, don't scare me like that!!"

He smiled. "You couldn't hear me march over hear? You were really that absorbed in that stupid book?"

"It's not stupid," Elphaba said defensively. Liiku peered over her shoulder to see the title of the book she was reading.

"A Beginner's Guide to Sorcery? Huh, never figured you to be the sorcer-y type," Liiku said.

She grinned. "The most amazing thing happened! I was accepted into Morrible's personal sorcery seminar!"

"Really?" Liiku asked. "I thought she wasn't accepting anyone."

"Well . . . something incredible happened . . ." Elphaba said, not able to keep the excitement out of her voice. "I did magic! And Morrible saw it and was instantly impressed--"

"Whoa, start at the beginning," Liiku said. "What exactly happened?"

Elphaba put her book down. "I was getting my room assignments, and Morrible told me there was a bit of a mix-up and I didn't have a room. And Nessarose, my sister, was going to have to stay with Morrible in her own private suite."

"Why?" Liiku asked.

"She's handicapped," Elphaba said quietly. "And Morrible thought she would be doing her a favor by keeping her close by so she could assist her. But . . . I got angry. I was always the one who looked after her, I couldn't let Morrible take her from me. And then . . . I did magic! Real magic! Morrible was so impressed that she immediately addmitted me into the seminar! I've never been so happy! Think of everything I could do if I were to actually develop and control my magic!_ I could work for the Wizard!!"_

"Good for you, although I can't believe I missed the whole thing!" Liiku said angrily. He then chuckled. "I bet Galinda was_ pissed!"_

Elphaba nodded, but her eyes instantly turned very dark and angry. "Oh, about her."

"Oh no, what is it?" he said worriedly, noticing how dark Elphaba's tone had turned.

"You know how I said I wasn't assigned a room? Well, Morrible had the nerve to make me room with . . . with _her_!"

Liiku's jaw dropped. "Oh sweet Oz . . ."

"Augh! I can't stand that prissy little brat! She wouldn't give me two minutes to unpack my stuff without throwing a fuss about how _ugly_ I was!! I _hate_ her!!" She slammed her fists on the desk, and immediately flames appeared, nearly scorching her book. Liiku swore loudly and started stomping out the flames. Elphaba was doing the same, and soon, the fire was out. A small scorch mark on the desk was all that remained.

Liiku stared at the burn. "So . . . you really are a witch," he murmured.

"I guess so," she said.

Liiku grabbed the collar of her jacket. "If you ever do something as stupid or careless as that again, I'll kick your scrawny green ass!"

Elphaba shoved him away. "Watch it or I'll incinerate you."

"Like you could do that again on will," Liiku said.

Elphaba folded her arms across her chest. "Hey, at least I can do _something_."

Liiku pulled out his pen and notepad. "Hey, by the way, can I interview you?"

Elphaba stared at him. "Huh? Whatever for?"

"I'm trying to get a job for the Shiz school newspaper, and I want to write a story about you!"

"Why me?"

"Isn't it obvious? You're the most interesting person I have ever met! Who else has had the pleasure of getting to know someone with green skin on a personal level?" Liiku said. Elphaba's eyes went wide. "So how 'bout it?"

Elphaba slapped Liiku as hard as she could across the face. "Like hell I will! You've got some nerve! I'm not going to be turned into some sort of circus freak!"

"I don't mean anything like that, I swear!" Liiku said defensively, rubbing his cheek. "Sweet Oz, you're touchy."

Elphaba stood abruptly and stormed out the door.

"Hey! _Hey_! Get back here! You still didn't answer my question!"

"The answer is _no_," Elphaba huffed.

"Well that simply won't do," Liiku said, chasing after her and furiously scribbling in his notepad.

"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?" Elphaba sighed.

"Nope!" Liiku snickered.

"You're an ass," Elphaba fumed.

"A title I shall carry around proudly!" Liiku said. "HEY! Everybody!!" he shouted to the entire library, making all eyes turn on him. "Let it be known from this day forward that I, Liiku Thriggs, am an ass!"

Elphaba grabbed the hem of his shirt and dragged him out of the library. "What the hell did you do that for?! As if I _need_ the extra attention!"

"Get used to it, missy! I'm not leaving until I get my interview!"

"I guess I can't get rid of you that easily, can I?" she sighed, finally sitting down on a bench outside of the library. "Ok, fine, you win. What do you want to know about me?"

"First, you mind if I record this?" he asked, pulling out a tape recorder.

Elphaba sighed. "Why not?"

"Great!" he said, flicking it on. "Now, some personal information, where you're from, all that fun stuff!"

"I was born in Munchkinland and I'm the eldest daughter of Frexpar Thropp, Governor of Munchkinland," Elphaba said boringly.

"Wait, you're the governor's daughter?!" Liiku exclaimed. "That's pretty impressive!"

"Yes, anyway, my sister, Nessarose, that is, was born two years after me."

"Was she born crippled?" Liiku asked softly.

Elphaba closed her eyes. "She was."

"And your mother? What about her?"

Elphaba was silent for a long time. "Died while giving birth to Nessa."

"I'm so sorry," Liiku said.

"It's not like you could have known," she said. Her eyes were distant and sad, but she shed no tears. Liiku wrote in his notepad.

"Tell me about your childhood," he said.

Elphaba stood up. "I don't want to talk about it. Yu know what, this interview was a bad idea. I'm asking you, please, don't ask me anymore questions. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Liiku said. He glanced down at his notes. "Although I can take a guess . . . it wasn't pleasant, was it?"

Elphaba, with her back still facing him, looked up at the clouds. "You guessed right."

"I wish I could say I'm surprised. But . . . I guess it's what is to be expected. People fear what they don't understand. They despise anything that's different, and cast it out." Elphaba turned to look at him, and their eyes met. "That's why I wanted to interview you. I couldn't stand hearing the horrible things people said about you because I knew it wasn't true. I wanted to find out the truth for myself. And you know what?"

Elphaba was silent.

Liiku smiled. "They _all_ are wrong. You're not all that bad."

Elphaba returned his smile. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me; it's what I do," Liiku said. He stood, and walked back to his dorm. "My first class is History with Doctor Dillamond."

"Really? So is mine!" Elphaba said excitedly.

Liiku stopped and turned around. "Then I'll see you there!"


	3. Chapter 3

Liiku spent the rest of the night typing up his paper for the Shiz Post. He consulted his notes and scribbled out the first few lines on scratch paper. With his tape recorder laying out on his desk besides him, he flipped the play button on and off, replaying their bitterly short interview. He still had so many questions for her. But those questions will have to wait.

_"I was born in Munchkinland and I'm the eldest daughter of Frexpar Thropp, Governor of Munchkinland."_

Liiku paused the tape recorder and wrote a few notes down. From the tone of her voice, she didn't sound all too proud about her status, which could imply several things. Liiku knew he couln't make any wild assumptions, but he knew Elphaba wasn't the sort of person to be obsessing over status or power. Most likely, she really didn't care all too much about her title. He rewound the tape and played it again.

_"I was born in Munchkinland and I'm the eldest daughter of Frexpar Thropp, Governor of Munchkinland,"_

Yep, definitely a tone of boredom, the same tone someone uses when rattling off unimportant information. Elphaba wasn't concerned about her status at all. How interesting.

_"Wait, you're the governor's daughter?! That's pretty impressive!"_

_"Yes--"_ That tone again. She really didn't care._"--anyway, my sister, Nessarose, that is, was born two years after me."_

_"Was she born crippled?"_

Pause. _"She was."_

Hm. Elphaba's change in tone was very hard to detect, but he had been watching her closely when he interviewed her. Clearly the subject about her sister's disability . . . and the death of her mother . . . were very sensitive topics for her. She didn't like to talk about it. What was she hiding from him?

But then again, Liiku knew where he had to draw the line. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn't want to betray what little trust was between him and Elphaba. He had to respect her privacy.

_"Died giving birth to Nessa . . . "_

"How tragic," Liiku muttered, replaying the tape. He reflected back on his own life. He vaguely remembered his father, but that was so long ago. His father, a crazy drunk and an almost useless bum, barely scraping together enough money for them to survive. Liiku was barely five years old when he just walked out on his own family, leaving him, his younger brother, and his heavily pregnant mother to fend for themselves.

It was quite miraculous, then, that he ended up in such a place. Shiz University. Who would've though? If someone told him he'd end up here when he was younger, he would have laughed until his stomach ached. But here he was, thanks to years of hard and rigorous work. Shaking his head to scatter old memories, he turned back to the tape recorder.

_"I don't want to talk about it. You know what, this interview was a bad idea. I'm asking you, please, don't ask me anymore questions. I'm sorry." _

_"Don't be. Although I can take a guess . . . it wasn't pleasant, was it?"_

_"You guessed right."_

Liiku paused the tape recorder, and rewound.

_"You guessed right."_ Rewind.

_"You guessed right."_ Rewind.

_"You guessed right."_ Rewind.

Something large but soft hit him from behind. Liiku let out a surprised grunt and stared at the pillow that had been chucked at him.

"WOULD YOU KNOCK IT OFF?! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP!" Boq yelled. "It's two in the morning and classes are tomorrow! Go to bed already and give it a rest!!"

"Hey, I'm working," Liiku said aggressively, throwing the pillow as hard as he could straight at the over-sized Munchkin. "I'll go to bed when I damn feel like it!"

"Then at least keep it down! Sweet Lurline! If I fall asleep in any of my classes because of you keeping me up all night, I'm gonna wail on you!" Boq said, grabbing his pillow and slamming his head back down on it.

Liiku laughed dryly. "What a sight that will be! Me! Getting pounded on by a pint-sized shrimp like you!"

"Just you wait," Boq growled, his face smothered in his pillow.

Liiku tuned back to his paper. He was almost done with the rough draft. He could iron out the details later, but right now, Boq was right. He needed to get some sleep.

Tomorrow was a bright new shining day.

* * *

Liiku's alarm rang noisily on his desk, and he flailed about his hand sluggishly until he came in contact with the button to turn the thing off. Stretching like a cat, he rolled out of bed and lazily began to slip on his school uniform. Really, a university with a dress code. How tacky.

At least it was tasteful. His blue pinstripe button-down shirt was actually very nice, and so were the blue pants he bought. Running a hand through his inky black hair, he glanced at the clock.

It was eight fifty-five. Class started in five minutes.

Liiku swore loudly and grabbed his books. Dashing like a madman out of his dorm, he sprinted across campus to his history building. It was going to be close, but he could probably just say he got lost.

Then again, the campus wasn't all that big . . .

Whatever, Liiku just kept running. He managed to burst into his lecture hall just as the bell rang.

"THANK LURLINE I MADE IT!" Liiku cried, doubling over and panting like a dog.

"Ah, yes, thank you for showing up in time . . . barely."

Liiku looked up. The professor stood before him. Doctor Dillamond.

"Doctor Dillamond! You're a Goat!" Liiku exclaimed with surprise.

The professor looked down at his own hooves in shock. "What?! Oh! Yes, indeed I am!" A few students chuckled.

Liiku grabbed one of his hooves and started shaking vigorously. "Sir, it's an honor to meet you! I am Liiku Thriggs! It's an honor to be in your class."

"Yes, well, that's very kind of you," Doctor Dillamond chuckled. "But if you don't mind, class started two minutes ago."

Liiku grinned sheepishly and looked for a seat, and sat down next to Elphaba.

"Let me guess, you overslept?" she chuckled.

"Shut it, string bean, I was up all night working on your interview," Liiku laughed.

"Oh, don't I feel special," Elphaba smirked.

"Attention, students, settle down, settle down," Doctor Dillamond announced, and the entire lecture hall fell silent. "I have finished grading your summer papers and I am happy to say I was very impressed with some of your responses . . . with a few exceptions."

Doctor Dillamond started to walk around, handing out papers, and Liiku was repulsed to see that Galinda was in the same class as he was. Elphaba noticed his disgusted look and followed his gaze.

"Oh sweet Oz, save me," Elphaba muttered.

"At least we shall suffer together."

"Oh, don't I feel special."

"I have a weird feeling of déjà vu. Did you say that before?"

"I believe I did."

"Miss G'linda," Doctor Dillamond said, handing Galinda her paper. Liiku snorted.

"It's _Ga_linda," she said testily.

"Yes, of course, sorry dear. _G'linda_," he said, but clearly he was having difficulty pronouncing her name correctly.

"You know, I really don't see what the problem is! Every other professor seems to pronounce my name just fine!" Galinda said angrily, obviously flustered by the fact that Doctor Dillamond couldn't pronounce her name correctly.

"You know what, Miss _G'linda_?!" Liiku shouted, jumping to his feet. He had enough of Galinda's attitude. "Maybe the pronunciation of your _precious name_ isn't the sole concern of Professor Dillamond's life! Maybe he isn't like every other professor! Maybe he's _different_! You have a problem with something that's _different_, Miss _G'linda_?"

There was a moment of stunned silence as every pair of eyes in the lecture hall fell on Liiku. Galinda narrowed her eyes.

"I didn't know you were mentally disabled as well," Galinda retorted. "But I guess it was to be expected from someone born in a slum."

Liiku went very rigid and his hands clenched into fists. Elphaba leapt to her feet and tugged on his arm.

"Let it go, Liiku, she's not worth it," she said.

Liiku looked at Elphaba and nodded. "Right, she's not worth _anything_!" he growled, and sat back down.

"Bowing down to that artichoke, Thriggs? You're even more pathetic than I thought!" Galinda said, apparently very proud of her witty remark. The entire class burst into fits of giggles, and Liiku noticed that Elphaba's gaze hardened as well.

"Class! Settle down!" Dillamond said, stomping his hoof on the floor. "Master Thriggs brings up a valuable point! As you may have noticed, I am the sole Animal professor at this university. But it wasn't always this way! Oh, long ago, Animals were just as abundant as you! I wish you could see it! A Tiger preaching philosophy! A Wildebeest teaching mathematics! A Snow Leopard reciting a sonnet! Do you see what we have lost? The world is a little less . . . _colored_ than it used to be. Now! What set all of this in motion?"

"From what I have read, it all started with the Great Drought in the East!" Elphaba shouted out, raising her hand in the air.

"Precisely!" Dillamond said, approaching the chalkboard at the front of the class. He pointed to the diagram drawn on the board. "People grew hungrier and angrier. Riots started up over food. Towns were decimated by famine. Now, can anyone tell me the meaning of the term 'scapegoat?' "

Elphaba shot her hand into the air.

"Besides Elphaba," Dillamond sighed.

Liiku was about to raise his hand, but to his shock, Galinda beat him to it. His jaw dropped. If Galinda got this question right, he was going to shave his head.

"Yes, Miss G'linda!" Dillamond said, and once again trying to pronounce her name, only to fail again.

"It's _Ga_linda," she said with gritted teeth. "And I can't see why you can't just teach us History instead of always just harping on the past."

"Let me throttle her," Liiku growled. "I'll bash in her skull until I knock out every single one of her teeth."

"All in due time," Elphaba growled back.

Dillamont raised a hoof to his chin, as if thinking. "Well, perhaps these questions might help solve your own question!" he said, flipping the chalkboard over. There was a collective gasp as the other side was revealed.

Written in large red letters were the words: **ANIMALS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD.**

Dillamond stared at the words in absolute shock, as if he had seen a ghost. He turned around shakily, his eyes wide and angry.

"Who . . . who is responsible?" he said in a very quiet voice. No one moved or spoke. It was silent enough to hear a pin drop. "I am waiting for an answer! Who is responsible?!" Still, no one moved. Dillamond turned back to the chalkboard and flipped it over. "Well . . . that will be all for today." He looked back at the students, only to see they were still sitting there. "You heard me! Class dismissed!" he said.

Everyone quickly gathered up their things and rushed out the door. Only Elphaba and Liiku stayed behind, and a third person, who Liiku had not noticed until now. It was the girl in the wheelchair, Nessarose, was it?

Elphaba went up to her. "You go on ahead, I'll catch up," she said. Nessa nodded and wheeled herself out of the lecture hall. Liiku turned his attention back to the Goat, who had taken a seat. He approached him.

"Oh, go on ahead, you two, go join your friends!" Doctor Dillamond said in a false cheery tone.

"That's ok, I don't have any friends," Elphaba said, taking a seat next to him.

"Uh, excuse me?" Liiku said with mock hurt.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Besides _this_ idiot."

"Thank you!"

"Doctor, you shouldn't let ignorant words like that get to you," Elphaba said, turning her attention back to the Goat. "After all, it's just scribbles on a chalkboard."

"Only, they're not just scribbles on a chalkboard," Liiku said grimly, turning the chalkboard over to look at the red words.

"What do you mean by that?" Elphaba asked.

"I was born in a very poor section in Munchkinland, right by the border of Gilikin," Liiku said. "I remember when I was young, there were a few Animals, but not very many. But today . . . the Animals in the slums outnumber people five to one. And worse, some of them are even forgetting how to speak."

"What?!" Elphaba said. "How--how can someone just forget to speak? Liiku, maybe it's just that one town, it can't--"

"No, Miss Elphaba, I'm afraid Master Thriggs is right," Dillamond said. "It's not just his town, it's all over Oz! Some of my old acquaintances can no longer talk!"

"But how is that possible? How are Animals forgetting how to talk?" Elphaba said, completely bewildered.

"I don't know," Dillamond said. "But at this rate . . . it won't be long before every Animal in Oz has forgotten how to speak."

Elphaba's skin went pale. "No! We can't let that happen! We got to go talk to the Wizard and tell him what's going on! Surely he'll help us!"

"Go to see the Wizard, huh?" Liiku said. "No one has ever had an audience with him, save his own private staff."

"Then that's why I gotta study hard and become a good enough sorceress to be the Wizard's vizier!" Elphaba said with determination.

"You're a sorceress, eh?" Dillamond asked. "Well, I wish you the best of luck, Miss Elphaba."

Liiku pulled out his camera from his bag. "I'm going to investigate this further and find out who did this," he said.

"I bet it was _G'linda_," Elphaba said bitterly.

"Not a chance," Liiku said. "Look at how the words were written. Someone dipped their fingers in red paint and smeared it on the chalkboard. Galinda would be the last person on the face of the earth to get her hands dirty. And from the way it's written, I'd say it was definitely a guy who wrote this."

"I see," Elphaba murmured. "Maybe one of her cronies, or a boyfriend--"

"I've kept an open ear, she doesn't have a boyfriend yet."

"How do you know for sure?" Elphaba asked.

"Trust me, I would know," Liiku assured, snapping a few more pictures. "As much as you want Galinda kicked out of this university, the chances are she wasn't the one behind this."

"Then who?"

"Leave it to me, I'll figure it out," Liiku said. He grinned. "I feel like a secret agent with my first real mission! Don't worry, Doctor Dillamond, these bastards aren't getting away with this!"

He laughed, which sounded eerily similar to a goat's bray. "Oh, you young ones! So full of life and vitality! I admire that! And I thank you all for your help and support!"

"Don't thank me, I'm just the seeker of truth!" Liiku laughed. "I gotta get going to my next class, but rest assured, I'll figure out who is responsible!"

Liiku set off for his next class, but the incident never left his mind. It would make a great story . . . Liiku tossed aside that thought for now. But perhaps writing an article about the incident would expose the culprit.

And it may just land him a job with the Shiz Post!

Kill two birds with one stone, right?

He pulled out his notepad and furiously began to write.


	4. Chapter 4

Liiku glared at his typewriter as if immersed in an intense staring contest. He focused his mind, and mentally began to prepare to write his paper. It was going to have to be the best article he's ever written, and he was determined to do just that.

"Time to die, bitch," he muttered under his breath, flexing his fingers.

His fingers flew rapidly the keyboard, and the room was instantly filled with tiny little _pings _of the keys slamming against the paper. Liiku's mind was in a constant whir as he mumbled the sentences out loud, stopping only briefly to consult his rough draft before diving back into the final version.

Liiku didn't stop writing for hours. He sat with steel-like determination at his desk to get his paper done. He casually glanced at his real school work, which was shoved off to the side. He shrugged. Plenty of time for that later. But he needed to get this done.

Finally, well into the evening, Liiku completed his article, both of them, actually. One was the interview with Elphaba, and the second was the incident at the History building. Although Liiku doubted the interview would get published, he felt he still did a fantastic job with it, and it was excellent practice as well.

Grabbing the two articles he had written, he read them over and over in his mind, trying to make sure it was as perfect as it could be. Satisfied, he laid them off to the side for the ink to dry. Liiku glanced back at his homework. With a heavy sigh, he decided it would be best if he did that, too.

Boq stumbled into the dormroom, at least five huge books held in his arm. He dropped them on his desk and wordlessly pulled out one and began to read.

"Is that all homework?" Liiku asked, stunned. "The first week of school just begun and you already look like you went through a blender."

"Not all of it, but since I couldn't fit into my schedule all the classes I wanted to take, I'm just reading about the things that interest me," Boq said without glancing up from his book.

Liiku peered over Boq's shoulder at the book he was currently reading. "Astrology? Really, why so interested in something you can't even touch when the country is falling apart as is?"

"Because it's interesting," Boq said in a strained voice.

Liiku yanked the book away from him and began to read. " 'As far as the top astrologists can calculate, the Earth is the third planet from the sun and approximately ninety-three million miles away from the gaseous orb, with the moon being approximately 238,857 miles from the Earth . . .' why would anyone care how far away the moon is from the earth?!"

"Give that back!" Boq said, lunging at Liiku and grabbing the book from him. "And who wouldn't want to know more about outer space? How far does it go? Does it go on forever? And if not, what is beyond space?"

Liiku thought for a moment. "All excellent questions, which mankind has no real hope for answering anytime soon."

"Says you," Boq said smugly. "But just you wait! Soon we'll be able to know all about the final frontier!"

"Well, you have fun with that. I have to get back to the final frontier that's currently sitting on my desk," Liiku said, indicating the pile of books and incomplete homework.

A few hours later, Liiku wrapped it up and decided to call it a night. He slipped into his pajamas and crawled under his covers, letting peaceful slumber overtake him.

However, his dreams were anything but.

* * *

_"You have been found guilty of aiding a wanted criminal!" a thunderous voice boomed. "We are taking you into custody for questioning!"_

_"The hell I will!" a second voice said. "You're not taking me to Southstair!"_

_That voice. It was so familiar. Liiku couldn't see anything except endless blackness, but he could hear the voices. People arguing. One large and gruff, the second voice . . . someone so familiar. But who?_

_"We have orders from the Wizard to take you by force if need be!" the first voice said._

_"Did he now?" the second replied quietly. _

_The blackness was beginning to fade. He could make out vague shapes, but nothing more. But all he saw was a big hulking figure in front of him, holding what looked like a cruel and vicious spear._

_"You can't arrest me! I have every right to publish whatever the hell I want in my newspaper!" the second voice said._

_The voice. . . it hit him. It was_ him_!_

_There was a sudden scuffle. Confusion. Motion. Liiku couldn't make out anything or even tell what was happening. _

_But then, he saw the curved blade of a spear rise high into the air, its metallic blade gleaming menacingly in the faint light._

_With tremendous force, it came slashing down upon him--_

Liiku woke with a start, gasping frantically. Looking around his room, he was calmed when he realized he was just in his dorm room.

He shook his head. What the hell was that dream all about? Who was trying to arrest him? For aiding a criminal? Why would he help a criminal in the first place? It didn't make any sense.

Then again, dreams weren't meant to be understood, were they? Closing his eyes, he went back to sleep.

* * *

Liiku woke with a start, his alarm buzzing annoyingly. Shaking his head, he rolled out of bed and shut it off. Stretching and yawning, he prepared for another boring day of classes, and also planned to drop off his articles to Mr. Marx.

He had no recollection of the strange dream he had last night and went about his usual routine, combing his black hair and slapping on his clothes. Liiku took one last look around his room to make sure he had grabbed everything he needed, and walked out of his dorm.

Boq was, of course, up before he was and already at classes. Liiku consulted his schedule once again before he headed to his Literature and Composition class.

The day passed by as usual, the professors droning on and on in their usual annoying voices, but Liiku made sure he forced himself to pay attention. This class was important if he wanted to be a reporter.

"Can anyone tell me the main theme of Marirar Rosemont's sonnet, _The Moon's Bride_?" the professor asked.

Liiku shot his hand in the air. "Death and mourning," Liiku said proudly.

"Excellent work yet again, Master Thriggs. Nice to know some people do their homework," the professor said, casting a glare at a squabble of girls sitting at the back of the room, who obviously weren't paying attention. Liiku immediately recognized some of the girls from Galinda's posse.

"Miss Pfannee?" the professor barked. One of the girl's heads snapped up and looked at him blankly. "Perhaps you can kindly name for us two other works by Rosemont?"

Pfannee sighed exasperatedly and cast her gaze up to the ceiling. "I dunno, did he, like, write that one story about a fairy or something?"

"I believe you are referring to Hutchingson's _Origin_," the professor said. "And no, Rosemont did _not_ write that."

"How was I supposed to know?" she squealed. "I get names all confusified!"

Liiku slammed his head on his desk. If only there was a law legalizing the murder of stupid ignorant girls . . .

The bell rang, and Liiku stuffed his books in his bag and practically sprinted across the campus. His heart was thundering in his chest with excitement. He could hardly wait to turn in his articles. He knew Mr. Marx would instantly grant him a job when he read them.

He burst into the Wesling Building, with the same old grouchy secretary sitting at the worn desk. She gave him a dull glare.

"Ah, Master Thriggs. So good to see you." Liiku tried to not roll his eyes at her sarcasm. "I'll let Mr. Marx know you're here." She pressed a button on her desk and a dull buzzing sound rang through the old decaying building.

Not five seconds later, Mr. Marx was striding up to the desk and beamed when he saw Liiku. "So the prodigal reporter returns! How excellent!"

"I have an article for you! Two, actually!" Liiku said, handing the papers over to Mr. Marx. Wordlessly, he took them, and began to skim over them. His eyes flew rapidly over the paper, and went wide as he finished.

"Dear boy, you've got quite some talent!" he said excitedly. "This is truly inspiring! Such depth and detail! Very good work!"

"Thank you very much," Liiku said humbly.

Mr. Marx read over the second article, and was as equally impressed. "Well, Liiku, you've certainly proved your worth! Let me be the first to welcome you onto the Shiz Post! Congratulations! You are now an official reporter!"

Liiku shook his hand furiously. "Thank you so much!"

"I expect an article from you every week! It doesn't have to be very long, but I do ask for the same quality of work you have just presented me with," Mr. Marx said.

"Of course, sir! I won't let you down!"

* * *

The next day, Liiku was ecstatic to see that the headliner for the Shiz Post was his very own article about the incident at the History building. Whooping with excitement, he took one and rushed to his History class, where he knew Elphaba would be.

"Check it out! I'm official!" Liiku smiled proudly, waving the article in front of Elphaba's face.

Although startled at his sudden entrance, Elphaba took the paper and began to read. "Wow . . . this is actually really good. You've got quite a talent."

"I know, right?" Liiku said, plopping down next to her.

Elphaba flipped through the newspaper and froze when she saw her interview towards the back. "Oh sweet Oz . . ." she mumbled.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm nervous," she admitted, her cheeks turning a slightly darker shade of green. Was she blushing?

"Nervous about what?" he asked. "I think I did a good job. Find out for yourself."

"I can't," Elphaba said firmly.

"Then I'll read it to you," Liiku said, swiping the paper back from her.

"HEY!" she said lunging at him.

" 'The first day of college began with as much excitement and bustle as the Emerald City Square on market day,' " Liiku read out loud. " 'Students from every corner of Oz filed into the Main Hall, anxious to begin a brand new year at this marvelous establishment.' "

"La la la, I'm not listening," Elphaba said loudly, sticking her fingers into her ears.

" 'My attention was immediately grabbed when I saw without a doubt the most fascinating person I had ever met in my life. Her name is Elphaba Thropp, and she had skin as green as fresh-cut emeralds. Strange as this sight was, I was also fascinated by this wondrous marvel. But all around me, my fellow classmates were speaking ill of this new arrival. Becoming angry at their shallowness, I decided to introduce myself and find out more about her.' "

" 'Elphaba Thropp was born in Munchkinland and is the daughter of Frexpar Thropp, the Governor of the eastern providence. She has a younger sister, Nessarose, who is handicapped and confined to a wheelchair. Upon further questioning, I learned that her mother, Melena Thropp, died in childbirth with Nessarose.' "

Liiku paused and looked at Elphaba, who strangely fell silent.

"Can I read it for myself?" she asked quietly.

Liiku handed her the paper without a word. She took it and began to read for herself.

" 'My heart went out to her upon her telling me of her tragic past. But the more I got to know her, the more I was able to see past her unique skin color and look at the truly marvelous and brilliant young woman she is.' How romantic sounding."

"I hope so, that's what I was aiming for," Liiku laughed.

Elphaba turned and looked up at him. "No one has ever done anything like this for me before. It's touching, really. And . . ." She broke out into a huge grin. "I'm happy I have a friend like you."

"I'm glad I was able to meet someone like you," Liiku retorted. Elphaba lowered her eyes and smiled.

"I'm also happy you got the job at the Shiz Post. You deserve it," Elphaba said.

"Yeah, now I have to write out an article every week for it," Liiku said, although he wasn't complaining.

"Good luck," Elphaba said with a smile.

Suddenly, the announcements came on, and a very deep voice boomed through the speakers. "Master Thriggs, report to the Administration Hall immediately." It was Morrible.

Elphaba glared at him. "Ok, spill, what did you do?"

"Nothing, I swear," Liiku said, grabbing his books. "I'll be right back."

He jogged across the campus to the Administration building, which was small but still grand looking. Its arched roof gave it a very cathedral-like feel to it. He stepped inside, where Morrible was waiting for him.

"Liiku, thank you for showing up," she said. He noticed the callousness and harshness in her tone. "Please follow me."

She led him into an office down the hall, and closed the door behind them. In the room was a desk with two chairs, one behind and the other in front of the desk. Morrible glided around the desk and took a seat.

"Please, sit down," she said. Liiku did so. She then pulled out the Shiz Post and was looking with a critical eye at the front page. "So. Mr. Marx published your little article, did he now?"

"That is correct, ma'am," Liiku said.

"Do you know why?"

"Because he thought it was a well-written article and-" Liiku began, but Morrible cut him off.

"Nothing but a desperate, ludicrous scam, if you ask me," she snapped harshly.

Liiku's jaw dropped wide open. "How can you say that?! I was there! The entire lecture hall saw it! Ask them!"

"Oh, I have no doubt it _did _take place," Morrible said icily. "I am only wondering _who_ might have done it."

Liiku narrowed his ice-blue eyes. "Stop beating the hell around the bush and spit it out!"

Morrible straightened, her lips growing very thin. "Very well, Master Thriggs. I suspect _you_ are the one behind it!"

_"WHAT?!"_

"Admit it! You were so desperate to get that job that you personally concocted this up so you would have a story to write about! Am I right?"

"That's _bullshit_!" Liiku roared, rising to his feet. "I would _never_--!"

"You watch your mouth with me, young man!" Morrible said, pointing a fat finger at him. "I know you did it! I know your type! You will do anything for a great story, wouldn't you?"

Liiku clenched his hands into fists and started shaking with rage. "That's not true! I can prove I didn't do it! I was even late to class! I had overslept that day!"

"Your proof is invalid," Morrible said. "You have no witnesses."

"I was in my dorm all night the day before! Ask my roommate!"

"Again, invalid. Perhaps you two were even working _together_!" Morrible said.

"Now this is getting ridiculous!" Liiku said angrily. "I didn't do anything! And I sure as hell wasn't the one behind the thing! You have no proof!"

"I don't _need_ proof. I can expel you from my university whenever I feel as if you are a threat to my students and professors!! Now you listen to me, young man," she said in an equally angry and hostile voice. "If you write up any more _lies_ or perform any more stunts like_ this_, you can add Shiz University to your list of schools you were expelled from!"

Liiku glared coldly at her, and walked out of the office, slamming the door behind him in the process.


	5. Chapter 5

Liiku stormed into class a few minutes later and right in the middle of Dr. Dillamond's lecture. He wordlessly took his seat next to Elphaba, resisting the urge to slam his books on his desk. Dr. Dillamond hesitated for only a moment at Liiku's unannounced arrival before returning to his lesson.

Elphaba gave a cautious glance at Liiku, noticing his tension. "So what did Madame Morrible want to talk to you about?"

"You're not going to believe it," Liiku nearly growled through his clenched teeth. "But Morrible thinks _I_ was the one behind the chalkboard incident!"

_"What?!"_ Elphaba said in a hushed whisper, her brown eyes growing wide.

"Yeah, she thinks I was so desperate to get that reporting job that I made up those words on the chalkboard just so I could have a _great_ story to write about!!"

"That's completely unfair! You didn't do it!" Elphaba said, starting to become angry herself.

"Yeah, that's what I told her, but she won't listen to me!" Liiku said. "She threatened to expel me if I spread any more _'lies.'_ "

Elphaba balled her hands into fists. "I can't believe someone like her would do something so low."

"I have half a mind to write an article about her ridiculous little rant!" Liiku muttered.

"Do that and you'll definitely be expelled," Elphaba said.

"Master Thriggs and Miss Elphaba!" Dr. Dillamond said suddenly, making the two of them jump. "Perhaps you'd like to share whatever you're conversing about with the rest of the class?"

"No, sir," Elphaba said, lowering her head. The shame and humiliation was all too evident in her eye. Elphaba was _never_ called out in class.

"And you, Master Thriggs, haven't you missed enough of lecture already? I suggest you try to catch up."

"Yes, sir," Liiku said. Dillamond returned to his lectures. Liiku could feel the eyes of the other students on him, and even heard a few of them snickering.

"Did I really miss that much?" he whispered.

"Yeah, you kind of did," Elphaba whispered back.

Liiku swore under his breath. "Do you mind if after class I copy your notes? Please?"

"Of course."

"Thank you so much, you are a life saver," Liiku said. He whipped out his notebook and pen and scribbled down notes for the remainder of the lecture. The bell rang forty minutes later and the entire assembly started to shuffle out of the lecture hall. Liiku and Elphaba exited together, still talking about Morrible's false accusation.

"I can't believe she thinks I did it," Liiku started up again. "If I did it, why would I publish it? If I _was_ the person behind the thing, I sure as hell wouldn't want the entire world to know."

"Maybe that's precisely why she thinks you did it," Elphaba said thoughtfully. "No one would ever suspect you."

Liiku sighed heavily. "Good point."

"But . . . I still can't believe Morrible suspects you, of all people! And she seems so nice and genuine in my sorcery seminars . . ."

"I don't exactly have an excellent track record," Liiku reminded her.

"But . . . still . . ." Elphaba said. "I hope you're not reckless enough to write about _this_."

"Oh, don't tempt me," Liiku said. "You have no idea just how badly I want to."

The two arrived at the Ozma Cafe, which was along the main street in campus. Numerous shops and restaurants lined the road, making it one of the top hot spots for bored or procrastinating college kids. Liiku and Elphaba took a table outside and sat down.

"So what did we go over today?" Liiku asked, whipping out his notebook.

"We went into more detail about the Great Drought," Elphaba said.

"Ah, and that was right after the Third Ozma mysteriously disappeared, isn't it?"

"Exactly. The Wizard then got into power and started re-building the Emerald City and the Yellow Brick Road. The drought struck three years after the Wizard took over."

"Got it," Liiku said. His hand flew across the pages and he scribbled down illegible notes that only he could interpret.

They spent the entire afternoon exchanging lecture notes and discussing the topics they had covered. Liiku was impressed with Elphaba's excellent memory as she effectively reclled practically every word in Dillamond's lecture. It was the first time for a very long time Liiku had such and intelligent conversation with a girl, or with anyone, for that matter.

"You want anything? Coffee? Tea?" Liiku offered as they started to wrap up their notes.

"I'm alright, thanks," Elphaba said.

"I insist. My treat for saving my ass."

Elphaba chuckled. "Ok, a small cup of green tea."

"Coming right up!" Liiku bought the both of them some drinks, green tea for Elphaba (he just had to laugh at the irony of her drinking green tea) and for himself, black coffee. Elphaba gratefully took her tea and sipped it slowly.

"Mmm, this is excellent," she said. "They don't have tea like this in Munchkinland."

Liiku took a swig of his black coffee. "Not much of a tea drinker. I like coffee, straight up. None of that cream and sugar crap."

"I don't like how strong it is," Elphaba said, wrinkling her nose slightly in disgust.

"Ah, but that's why I like it so much! Kicks you right in the ass!"

"Yeah, right where you need it most," Elphaba laughed. Liiku joined in as well. "You know, us sitting here together, having some coffee . . . the casual passerby might think we are _dating_."

Liiku had such a violent reaction to Elphaba's sudden comment that some of his coffee shot out of his nose. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What?!" Liiku exclamed, almost panicking. "Uh . . . Elphaba, I like you, I . . . ergh . . ."

Elphaba started laughing loudly. "Oh, relax, I was joking! Honestly. You're not my type."

"Same here," Liiku said sharply. Elphaba looked at him. "I didn't mean that in a bad way!" he added quickly. "I just . . . augh, DAMN YOU, WOMAN!!"

Elphaba just sat there and smiled.

"Um, so! We get next Monday off! Are you going home over the weekend?" Liiku said to change the subject.

"No," Elphaba said sternly. "I'm just fine staying here."

"My mom and grandma are coming to pick me up on Friday. They said they'd be interested in meeting you."

Elphaba snapped her head up and stared at him. "Wait, what did you exactly say to them about me?"

"Nothing bad, I promise, as if I have _anything_ bad to tell them," Liiku said. "I just said you were someone in a bunch of my classes and my friend. We may not be _dating,_ but is it ok if we're _just friends?"_ he joked.

Elphaba cocked her eyebrow with a sly grin. "Perhaps. I'd like to meet your family and see just how grey you managed to turn your mother's hair."

Liiku laughed. "Oh, just you wait. I have a younger brother and sister and they're both more obnoxious than me."

"I can hardly believe that," Elphaba said seriously.

"I'll let you find out for yourself on Friday," Liiku said proudly, collecting his things. "I'll see you around!"

* * *

When Friday evening came, Liiku packed a small duffel bag with a few changes of clothes, his homework, and whatever else he was going to need for the weekend. Boq was staying over the extended weekend, partially because he had so much work to catch up on. And just as they planned, Elphaba met Liiku at the train station to meet his family.

"I hope I don't make a bad first impression," Elphaba said lightly, although Liiku noticed her hidden tension.

"You'll do fine, trust me. I told them everything about you, they know what to expect," Liiku said. Elphaba folded her arms across her chest, her face completely emotionless.

A few minutes later, the train arrived, and most of the students piled in with only a few getting on. After scouring the crowds for a while, Liiku spotted his mom and grandmother.

"Hey, over here!" Liiku said, and tugged on Elphaba's arm. Liiku's mother spotted them soon, and walked over with an elderly woman besides her and a young teenage girl, perhaps thirteen years old.

"Hi, mom," Liiku said, giving her a quick kiss.

"Hello, Liiku! So good to see you! Keeping out of trouble, I hope?" Mrs. Thriggs said.

"Of course." Liiku said. Elphaba laughed.

"Mom, Grandma, Bieynn," Liiku said. "This is my friend, Elphaba Thropp! Elphaba, this is my mother, my grandma Kail, and my sister Bieynn."

"Pleased to meet you," Elphaba said politely, shaking Mrs. Thrigg's hand. Much to her surprise and relief, Mrs. Thriggs did not gape or gawk at her.

"Wow, Liiku was right! You do have skin as green as grass!" the young adolescent, Bieynn, said loudly. "Although to be quite frank I think it's more like the color of leaves in spring."

"Bieynn!" Mrs. Thriggs scolded. "That's very rude! You should know better than that!"

"It's quite alright, I take that as a compliment," Elphaba said with a smile.

"So young lass, tell me, are you going home over the weekend?" Kail, Liiku's grandmother asked.

"Well, no, I'm staying here," Elphaba said.

"That simply won't do! Liiku! Go grab the lady's things, she's coming home with us!" she said.

"What?! Oh no, I simply can't accept! I don't want to be a burden--" Elphaba said.

"Burden, HA! You will be no such thing! You will be our guest! Lii-Lii, why are you still standing here?! Get going!" Kail spat.

"_Grandma_--!" Liiku said.

"Don't '_Grandma'_ me, my little poppercorn! She is coming with us! We'll have nice long chats and big family meals together!"

Elphaba was about to protest, but Liiku pulled her off to the side. "Don't try to argue with her; she'll never stop once she gets something in her head. I'm really sorry but I think you're going to be spending the weekend with us."

"Um . . . thank you?"

"Lii-Lii! Quit your useless blabbering and get going!" Kail shouted.

"_Alright_, grandma!" Liiku shouted back. "Sweet Oz!"

" 'Lii-Lii?' " Elphaba smirked.

"Do _not_ start with me on that," Liiku snarled. "Grandma Kail has a thing for cute little pet names. By the time we get to Munchkinland, you'll have one too."

"Oh, heaven of the Unnamed God, the horror!" Elphaba said sarcastically. They walked back to Elphaba's dorm in Crage Hall to grab a few things. Upon entering the dorm, they were both mildly repulsed to see Galinda was there as well.

"Hi," Liiku said cooly.

"Ugh, what are you doing here, you ugly frog?" Galinda said in a disgusted tone.

"I was going to ask the same thing. Weren't you going home for the weekend for some quality time with _momsies_ and _popsicles_?" Elphaba replied sharply.

"As a matter of fact, I am," Galinda huffed. "I was just packing my things, because unlike _some_ people, I can go home to a loving mother and father and not be a disgrace to my family's name!"

"Personally, I'd rather have an intelligent, unique daughter like Elphaba than a bubbly brainless airhead such as yourself," Liiku retorted.

Galinda huffed agrily, apparently not being able to come up with a snappy comeback. Elphaba quickly shoved all her essentials in one bag and stormed out of the room.

"By the way, Liiku, I would have never thought you had such low standards," Galinda laughed as they left.

Liiku was about to reply when Elphaba pulled him away. "Come on, just forget about her," Elphaba sighed.

"How do you stand her?! I wanted to kill you after what she said about your family!!" Liiku said.

"She's ignorant and shallow. She's not worth my time," Elphaba said stiffly. They walked silently back to the train station and boarded just in time. They took a compartment towards the rear of the train, with Elphaba sitting next to the window with Liiku sitting next to her. The other three sat across from them.

"So I heard about your recent job at the Shiz Post. Congratulations!" Mrs. Thriggs said.

"Thanks," Liiku said. "I have Elphaba to thank for that; I did an interview about her."

"How very kind! I hope he wasn't too imposing, he can be quite of a bother," she said to Elphaba. She laughed.

"Well considering how he wouldn't leave me alone until I gave him one, I guess you can say he was being _slightly_ imposing," Elphaba smiled. Mrs. Thriggs gave Liiku a hard glare.

"Why do you have green skin?" Bieynn asked suddenly.

"I don't know," Elphaba said honestly.

"It's very strange, isn't it? I know Quadlings have sort of a ruddy complexion, but nothing in history comes close to this."

"Bieynn, hush," Mrs. Thriggs whispered.

"So tell us about yourself! Got any family?" Kail asked.

"Yes, I have a younger sister, Nessarose," she said.

"Is she green?" Bieynn asked.

"Bieynn! Don't poke your nose where it doesn't belong!" Mrs. Thriggs snapped.

"I don't mind, really," Elphaba said. "But no, she isn't green."

"I told you she is more obnoxious than I am," Liiku whispered.

An hour or two of idle talk later, they finally arrived at the Munchkinland train station. The entourage hopped off the train with their bags, Liiku carrying Elphaba's things along with his own.

"Liiku, I can carry my own bags; I'm not crippled," Elphaba said.

"If I don't be a _gentleman_, crazy grandma Kail will have my head," Liiku said. "But don't worry, I am perfectly capable of carrying heavy things."

Elphaba looked around the suburban town the train station had stopped at. "So where do you live from here?"

"Not too far, just a twenty minute walk down the road," Mrs. Thriggs said, and they headed off.

"So what's your favorite subject in school?" Bieynn asked.

"I like all of them," Elphaba said.

"I asked for your favorite."

"Hm, then I'd have to say History."

"Why History?"

"Because the professor is really nice and very intelligent."

"Is he _cute_?" Bieynn snickered.

"He's a Goat, so yes, very attractive," Elphaba said with a straight face. Bieynn's jaw dropped. Liiku tried very hard to keep himself from laughing.

The roads were unevenly-leveled cobblestone, with green shoots of grass sprouting from the cracks. The buildings surrounding them looked old and worn; some even appeared to be near collapse with their bent frame. The stores haven't been refurbished in years, judging from the amount of peeling paint scouring the old brick walls. The whole section was dirty and unkept. But Elphaba paid no mind to it. What she was please to see was a wide variety of Animals mingling with the people. And although a few stared and gawked at her, most paid her no attention. Elphaba decided she rather liked the people here.

They finally approached a small apartment, barely better off than the rest of the buildings. The bricks were falling out of their places and some of the windows were cracked or nonexistent. Liiku rubbed the back of his neck.

"I told you I was born in a slum," he mumbled.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of," Elphaba said. "It's not like you could control it."

Liiku shrugged as they entered the creaky apartment complex and trudged up the stairs.

"Watch your step, some of the floor boards are loose," Liiku cautioned.

Elphaba gripped the railing and carefully stepped up the stairs, the old withering wood screeching loudly in protest. After ascening the stairs, they walked down the hall to a room near the end of the hallway.

"Well, here it is! Home sweet home!" Mrs. Thriggs said. She ushered Elphaba inside. "Liiku will show you to the guest room."

Inside, the apartment was small, but not cramped. The furniture was modest and simple, and a few cheap accessories and family photos lined the walls. Elphaba leaned over and looked at one. It had Mrs. Thriggs, Bieynn, Liiku, and another young boy.

"Who's that?" Elphaba asked.

"Oh, that's my brother, Kivvist," Liiku said. "He's working at the Emerald City building the Yellow Brick Road and couldn't make it home for the weekend. Over here, this will be your room." Liiku showed her into a bedroom furnished with only a mattress, a mirror and a drawer, with a window against the far wall framed with cream-colored curtains. "I know it's not much, and frankly, a little embarrassing, but--"

"It's alright," Elphaba said gently. She then began to unpack her clothes. As she lifted a few of her blouses out of her suitcase, she dropped a black skirt and it clattered to the floor.

Wait, _clattered?!_

Elphaba swore loudly and dove for it, but Liiku got to it first. He picked it up and found a very strange looking green bottle wrapped inside.

"What's this?" Liiku asked curiously.

"It's nothing, please give it back," Elphaba said, reaching for it. Liiku pushed her away.

"Why don't I believe that?" Liiku chuckled as Elphaba made another desperate lunge for the bottle.

"Please, just give it to me! It was my mother's! It's all I have left of her!!"

Liiku stared, stunned, at Elphaba. He gently wrapped the bottle back up and handed it to her. Elphaba pulled it out and clutched it to her chest, and sat on the mattress. Her eyes were glazed with that familiar thousand-yard stare, the same lost and blank look she had in her eye during her interview.

Liiku sat down besides her. "You want to talk about it?" he asked gently.

Elphaba stared down at the bottle and twisted it in her hands. "Well . . . when I was born . . . you can imagine the shock my parents went through when they saw what I looked like," she said in a very quiet voice. "My mother got pregnant again, but my father was terrified of having another child that was . . . like me."

Liiku wanted to speak out but restrained himself.

"So during the entire length of her pregnancy, my father forced my mother to eat pinnoble leaves every single day. But the medicine caused my sister to be born prematurely and her legs were all twisted up. We called the best physicians in Oz, but no one could fix her. As if that wasn't enough . . . my mother passed out and never woke up. And none of this would have ever happened if it weren't for me. If I wasn't born, my mother would be alive, my sister wouldn't be crippled, and I wouldn't be such a disgrace to the Thropp bloodline."

Liiku sat there for a moment in absolute silence, taking in every word. He placed his hands on his shoulders. "You listen to me, Elphaba Thropp," he said in a surprisingly angry voice. Elphaba stared at him with wide eyes. "Don't _ever_ let anyone tell you you didn't deserve to be born, because that's _bullshit_. You aren't responsible for _any_ of that. Not your mother's death, and not your sister's disability. That was the leaves, not you."

"But if I hadn't even existed--"

"Don't say that, Elphaba. Don't even think about that. You are a wonderful, brilliant, compassionate person. And I for one am glad I have met someone like you. Every life is precious. Don't waste away yours because of something you had no control over. It's not your fault."

Liiku pulled her in for a comforting embrace, and he could feel her tense. She then relaxed, allowing her head to rest against his shoulder.

"I have never told anyone about this before," Elphaba said, still gazing at the green bottle. Her brown eyes stared into his. "Thank you for listening."

"Of course," Liiku said. "That's what friends do. They stick together."

"Oooh, how romantic!" Bieynn said suddenly.

Liiku and Elphaba jumped nearly a foot in the air and saw her leaning against the doorframe. She snickered.

"If you're quite done _sticking together_, mom needs help cooking dinner, _Lii-Lii_!" Bieynn laughed.

Liiku jumped off the mattress and chased her out of the room. "MIND YOUR OWN DAMN BUISNESS YOU LITTLE BRAT!!"

* * *

**Ok, just to clear things up:**

**YES, this _will_ be a Fiyeraba! Just because they had a fluffy moment does not make them lovers. They're just really good friends. The Fiyeraba will come. Patience my young pupils! **

**SECOND: The fanfiction awards are underway!! So please go out and nominate me or one of my stories!!!! (I'm a horrible person . . .)**

**Big shout-out to crazybeagle for nominating my story "Sing the Bells" for Best AU!!! THANK YOU!**

**VOTE FOR ME PLEASE! I SHALL AWARD YOU WITH MORE FREQUENT UPDATES!**

**Spoiler for next chapter: Fiyero makes his BIG ARRIVAL! Oh snap!!**


	6. Chapter 6

In about a half hour, Mrs. Thriggs and Liiku had finished dinner; a large, steaming pot of home made soup and a freshly baked loaf of bread. Bieynn brought out a spare chair for Elphaba and placed it at the dining table. She took the seat, which was next to Liiku ,and Kail poured out a little bit of soup for everyone in the small ceramic bowls set up on the table.

"Liiku, would you like to lead us in prayers?" Mrs. Thriggs asked.

Liiku nodded, and the small family took each other's hands. Liiku grabbed Elphaba's hand gently, momentarily locking eyes with her. Blushing, he quickly looked away.

"I thank you, great and powerful Lord, for the many blessing you have granted us," Liiku said, closing his eyes and bowing his head as he recited his prayer. "I thank you for the food on our table and my family, who loves me and shall always be by my side. I praise you and your infinite mercies, Unnamed God. Amen."

"Amen," everyone said in unison.

"I didn't know you were a follower of the Unnamed God," Elphaba said.

Liiku shrugged. "Well, not really, but my mom and grandma are pretty devout."

"Tell me, Ella, are you a follower?" Kail asked.

"Ella?" Elphaba asked stupidly.

"Told you she'd give you a pet name," Liku snickered.

Elphaba grinned and poked at her soup. "I'm not into religion. To me it's utter nonsense and God is just an excuse to explain things people cannot."

Kail shook her head sadly. "Ah, that's a shame, truly. Religion and prayer is a wonderful experience."

"Sorry, but I don't believe in God," Elphaba said a bit angrily. Liiku could hardly blame her.

"Oh, you'll never guess what my teacher did yesterday!" Bieynn said. "I asked her a question but she totally answered it wrong! And when I pointed it out to her she sent me to the principle because I was being 'disruptive!' So unfair!"

"Sounds like she's following in your footsteps," Elphaba said to Liiku. "But what did you ask her, Bieynn?"

"I asked her which was more expensive, a Quadling ruby or a Vinkan emerald!" Bieynn said. "And she said 'Well, it depends on the quality!' So I asked her if both the ruby and the emerald were the exact same karat, which would be more expensive. And she still went off to say it depends on the work force, the hours to mine and purify it and never answered my question!"

"That's pretty annoying, isn't it?" Liiku said. "Teachers have major issues with just admitting they don't know."

"Did you have any teachers who were total idiots?" Bieynn asked Elphaba.

"I was homeschooled," she said. "My dad hired tutors for me, but there was this one tutor who was really obnoxious! All he'd do was gawk at me like some sort of freak show."

"Asshole," Bieynn said loudly.

"Language!" Mrs. Thriggs hissed.

"Mom!"

"We don't say cuss words at the dinner table," Mrs. Thriggs said sternly.

"But he is," she grumbled. Elphaba smiled.

"My dear Ella, don't let those people get to you; they are, as Bieynn put it, assholes," Kail said calmly.

_"Mother!"_

Elphaba started laughing until she cried. "I thought I would never live to see the day to see a grandmother say that!"

"What about your grandparents?" Bieynn asked.

Elphaba stopped laughing almost immediately. "I don't have any family other than my sister and father."

"That's terribly tragic. But at the very least, you have them," Kail said sympathetically. "Not everyone is blessed with a family."

Elphaba nodded and finished her meal in silence. When everyone was done, Elphaba volunteered to help with the dishes as Liiku and the others cleaned up the kitchen.

"Liiku's quite the character," Elphaba said casually as she helped wash the dishes. Mrs. Thriggs chuckled.

"Oh, that he is. Would have never dreamed he would be the boy he turned out to be. He was such a tiny little thing when he was born. I honestly thought he wouldn't make it. But . . . well, here he is! He was always so quiet and reserved, especially after his father left the family when he was only five."

"How tragic," Elphaba said.

"But after his father left, Liiku changed quite a bit. He became so much more assertive and outgoing. He became obsessed about truth. If there's anything he obsesses over, it's that. But still there are things about him I will never quite understand." She was silent for a moment before turning to her. "You said you have a father and a sister. If I may ask, what happened to your mother?"

"Died giving birth to my little sister," Elphaba said distantly.

"I am so sorry for your loss."

"It's ok, you didn't know," Elphaba said.

"Hey, Ella! Are you done yet? Grandma Kail wants to play cards!" Bieynn called out.

"Coming!" Elphaba said. In the dining room, with the dishes and food cleared, Bieynn, Kail, and Liiku were sitting in a circle with Liiku shuffling a deck of old, faded cards.

"You ever played 'Mowe?' " he asked.

"No, what's that?"

Liiku snickered sinisterly as the cards crackled against themselves. "The rule of the game is that you can't talk about the rules of the game!"

Elphaba gave him a sideways glance. "I don't get it."

"Learn as you go, _Ella_," he laughed, passing out seven cards to everyone.

"Whatever you say, _Lii-Lii_," Elphaba retorted.

"Your move," Liiku challenged.

Elphaba stared uncertainly at the deck sitting in the middle of the dining table. Tentatively, she slowly reached out her thin emerald hand and took a card off the top of the deck. There was a moment's pause before Liiku took another card off the deck and slammed it down in front of Elphaba.

"Failure to put down a card!" Liiku said.

Elphaba groaned and picked up the other card. Bieynn went next and put down a seven of clubs. Kail stroked her chin thoughtfully for a moment before putting down a four of diamonds. Bieynn slammed down a card from the center deck in front of her grandmother.

"Failure to put down a card of similar suit!" she shouted.

"Oh, of course, how silly of me!" Kail laughed, giving Elphaba a wink. Elphaba nodded. Liiku then put down a king of diamonds and knocked on the table four times. Elphaba rose an eyebrow and put down a five of diamonds. She let out a sigh of relief when no one did anything. Bieynn went next and put down a king of hearts and knocked four times, followed by stomping her foot twice. Elphaba gave Bieynn a very confused look to which she only giggled childishly. Kail put down a two of hearts, and Liiku followed her with a two of spades. Elphaba thought for a moment before she put down a two of clubs. Liiku slammed down a card in front of her.

"Failure to say 'triple play!' " Liiku laughed.

Elphaba let out an uncharacteristic giggle as she picked up the card. "I think I found my new favorite game!"

They played for hours with much shouting and slamming of cards, always accompanied with laughter. Elphaba was starting to get the hang of the rules and even managed to catch a few of Liiku's mistakes. It was very dark by the time the game was over, and Mrs. Thriggs ushered everyone off to bed.

"That was fun," Elphaba said. "I've never played cards with my family before."

"Really?" Liiku asked with surprise. "Then what does the governor's daughter do for fun?"

"Read, mostly," Elphaba said. "I never . . . never really had the chance to have any quality family time. Mostly because my father hates me." She shook her head, wiping away something in her eye. "I have never known what it was like to have a loving family to play with or what it was like to be normal, but now I know. Thank you so much, Liiku."

Liiku pulled her in for a hug. "You're very welcome, Miss Thropp."

"Good night," she said, and softly closed the bedroom door with a faint _click_.

"Night, Ella," Liiku said under his breath.

* * *

"Liiku, I really want to thank you for the weekend. I had fun," Elphaba said as she stepped off the train Sunday afternoon.

"Don't thank me, thank my crazy grandmother for practically kidnapping you," Liiku said.

Elphba smiled. "Then next time you write to her, tell her I said thanks."

"I will. You got everything?"

"Of course I do," Elphaba said, hefting up her suitcase. "And I managed to finish all my homework. Lucky me."

"Good for you. I still have a bit left to finish. Want me to walk you back to your dorm?"

Elphaba shrugged. "If you want."

Liiku and Elphaba crossed the road to the train station and walked together towards the university grounds. Liiku turned just in time to see a carriage drawn by a very large black horse race down the road right towards them.

Thinking quickly, Liiku shoved Elphaba out of the way and dove off the road. The horse reared and started whinnying loudly.

The driver gave them both a very dissaproving look. "Hey! Watch out!"

"HEY! You watch where you're going! You almost killed us!" Liiku shouted.

"What were you thinking, racing through a busy street like that?! You could have hurt someone!" Elphaba yelled, and stormed up to the carriage. Inside was a young man possibly their own age, who was fast asleep. Elphaba growled under her breath and pulled out her book.

"Miss! Step aside! Do you have any idea who he is?!" the driver called out, hopping out of his seat and running to Elphaba's side.

"I don't care who he is!" Elphaba said. Liiku raced to her side to get a better look at the passenger. He was incredibly handsome, with perfectly combed straw-blond hair and a chiseled physique. Liiku cocked his head. He looked familiar for some reason. Elphaba then promptly smacked the sleeping passenger upside the head with her book.

"WAKE UP!" Elphaba roared. The passenger jostled awake with a very confused and startled expression on his square face. His blue eyes then went very wide as he stared at Elphaba.

"Uh . . . can I help you?" he asked.

"I'll have you know that while you were lying here, _sleeping_, your driver almost ran me and my friend over!" Elphaba shouted.

"Oh, um . . . sorry?" he said.

"Oh, sweet Oz, it's Fiyero! The prince of the Vinkus!" Liiku muttered under his breath.

Elphaba turned to him. "You know him?"

"Only from what I read in the local newspaper," Liiku shrugged.

Fiyero stretched and stepped out of the carriage. "Avaric, try to be more careful next time. We don't want to kill any future couples now, do we?"

"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" Elphaba yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Uh-huh, sure, whatever," Fiyero said, reaching inside the carriage and pulling out his handbag. "See you soon, Avaric! I promise I won't last much longer at this school than any of the others!"

"So long, Your Majesty!" the driver saluted, and hopped back into the driver's seat. With a flick of the reigns, the horse set off and soon disappeared around the corner.

"How could you have been sleeping at a time like this?" Elphaba muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Simple; it's daytime," Fiyero said with a huge smile. Liiku rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps you should make sure your next driver is more careful!" Liiku said.

Fiyero shrugged. "Perhaps the driver saw green and thought it meant 'go.' " he joked.

The next thing Liiku knew, Fiyero was on the ground and Liiku was standing above him, one hand grabbed onto his shirt collar with his other balled up into a fist. Liiku was about to hit him again when Fiyero elbowed him hard in the nose. Liiku jumped backwards, clutching his bleeding nose, but lunged at him again, this time managing to land one or two blows before Fiyero managed to kick him in the stomach. By the time Elphaba dragged Liiku away from Fiyero, they both had bruises on their faces and sported bloody noses.

"Stop it! Just stop!" Elphaba yelled. "What's _wrong_ with you?! You're acting like children!"

"Don't look at me, you're boyfriend was the one who started it!" Fiyero shouted.

"He's _not_ my _boyfriend_!" Elphaba yelled. She started pulling Liiku away. "Come on, Liiku, let's go!"

"You watch your back, candy-ass!" Liiku shouted out to Fiyero. "I'll be back for round two!"

Fiyero shook his head and picked up his things. Two seconds at a new school and already a guy managed to kick his ass. That comment was probably a stupid move on his part, although. He really should apologize.

"Oh my goodness, are you ok?!"

Fiyero turned around to see an extremely attractive blond girl standing off to his side, looking about ready to faint.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, but those two are always causing trouble! That Liiku boy is so mean and disgustifying, I'm so sorry!! Here!" She handed him a hanky and started wiping away the blood on his face. "I hope you feel better!"

"I already am," Fiyero said. Damn, this girl was hot. But he should be used to girls fawning over him wherever he went. After all, it wasn't every day you got to meet an extraordinarily hot and sexy prince. "So what's your name?"

"I'm Galinda!"

"Fiyero, nice to meet you."

So," Galinda said, tossing her golden curls. "Are you looking for something . . . or someone?"

"Nothing that can't wait a bit," Fiyero replied smoothly.

* * *

**I'm beginning to wonder myself how Elphaba and Fiyero are going to end up together . . .**

**This will be very interesting . . . *Taps fingers together evilly***


	7. Chapter 7

Liiku barged into his dorm room minutes after his encounter with that idiot prince, only to find his roommate was missing. Which surprised him, because Boq rarely left the dorm due to the massive amount of homework he received.

_Probably at the library, _Liiku thought. Which reminded him . . . Liiku unpacked his things and pulled out his homework he had yet to finish. But before he did that, he decided it would probably be a good idea to fix his bloody nose.

Pressing a small rag to his face, he made his way to the bathroom to assess the damage. He had to admit, he seriously underestimated his opponent. Candy-ass Prince Fiyero managed to get a few solid hits on him, not an easy thing to do. Liiku grew up in the slums, and in a particularly violent section of said slums; he didn't make it this far by being _nice_. The streets and countless thugs hidden in the allies taught him how to fight, and he fought dirty.

Liiku stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. It wasn't too bad, just a bloody nose, a cut lip, and a small bruise under his right eye. Grabbing some toilet paper, he washed off the dried blood on his face. Nothing much else he could do. He chucked the toilet paper in the trash and headed back to his dorm room to finish his homework.

It must have been towards dinner time when Boq finally returned. Liiku turned, and saw that Boq looked unusually happy.

"This is going to be wonderful!" Boq said enthusiastically.

"What's going to be wonderful?" Liiku asked in a bored voice.

"I have a date to the dance! And I can finally show Galinda how much I love her!" he said.

"Oh, god, Boq, don't tell me you're still obsessed with that ditz. Seriously, you can do better than her," Liiku growled. He paused. "What dance?"

"Didn't you hear? The prince of the Vinkus just arrived here a few hours ago, and he already planned a giant dance for all the students to go to!" Boq said.

"You're _kidding _me," Liiku said, rubbing his eyes.

"I also heard he beat someone up when he got here, too," Boq added absent-mindedly.

"Excuse me, but I believe that it was _me _who kicked his ass," Liiku said in an angry voice. Boq's jaw dropped.

"_You're_ the one who got in a fight with a _prince_?!" he said with alarm.

"Hey, he deserved it," Liiku said.

"What did he do?"

"He insulted Elphaba."

Boq stared at him. "I had no idea you felt that way about her," he said in a stunned voice. "I didn't even know you guys were dating."

"Look, we're not _dating _and she's not my girlfriend!" Liiku cried. "She's a friend! _Just_ a friend! Got it?"

"Ok, I got it," Boq said, holding his hands up defensively.

"And I don't care if Fiyero's a prince, I'm not going to let him make fun of her just because she's _different_!"

A long and tense moment of awkward silence ensued. Boq rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "Well, uh . . . anyway, the dance is tomorrow night, if you're interested in going."

Liiku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Although he wasn't interested in the dance itself, it could be an interesting story. And added to the fact a prince just showed up, he could actually get a few quality stories out of this. It was worth going to.

"Alright, I'll go, it will make a good story. Who did you say your date was?"

"Oh, I asked out Nessarose," Boq said.

"Elphaba's sister?" Liiku said, now surprised.

He shrugged. "I really only did it because Galinda suggested it."

Liiku resisted the urge to punch Boq very, _very _hard. "Don't you think that's being a tiny bit manipulative?" Liiku said icily.

"It's just a dance, it's not like we're dating or anything," Boq said.

"Just make that very clear to her, then," Liiku said. "It's just wrong to lead on a girl like that! Especially someone like her!"

Boq nodded. "Fine I will. By the way, nice black eye," he added sarcastically.

"Don't worry, I did a number on him, too," Liiku said. "Where's the dance?"

"At the OzDust Ballroom," Boq said almost immediately.

"How appropriate," Liiku said. The OzDust Ballroom was usually reserved for very important, and expensive, parties for the staff or a very rich lord to throw a wedding. It wasn't much of a shock to Liiku that Fiyero would be pig-headed enough to pick such a place for a dance.

Liiku dug through his arsenal of clothing before he found the nicest clothes he brought with him; a black suit jacket and a white undershirt, complete with a solid black tie. Boq eyed it carefully.

"Don't you want to wear something a little more colorful?" Boq asked slowly.

"Why? Black is simple, but powerful and dynamic," he said.

"It also looks like you're in mourning."

"I know how to dress for a party, don't you worry," Liiku said. He turned his attention back to his homework. He really should be finishing that . . . but he wanted to ask Elphaba if she was going too. The question seemed to almost answer itself. Elphaba wasn't the partying type. She didn't want anymore attention dragged to her than she already had. No, Elphaba would not be at the party, Liiku was sure of it.

* * *

Elphaba decided that first thing after escorting Liiku to his dorm (to make sure he didn't get in any _more_ trouble) was to go check up on her sister. After all, she did leave quite last minute and didn't even have time to tell her she was going away for the weekend. Nessa would be upset.

But she was quite surprised when she found her beloved little sister in the middle of the quad, and looking extremely happy. She had a large and genuine smile on her face, and Elphaba could only guess what she was so happy about.

"Hello, Nessa," Elphaba said. "How was your weekend?"

"Oh, Elphaba! It was fine, but it just got so much more wonderful!" Nessa said excitedly. "I was asked out to the dance!"

"You were?!" Elphaba said with surprise. "Wait, what dance?"

"Oh, that new guy, Fiyero, was it? Well, he planned a big dance at the OzDust tomorrow, and I got a date!"

"Wait, Fiyero planned a dance already?" Elphaba said, stunned. _"But he just got here!"_

"I know, isn't it wild?" Nessa squealed.

Elphaba pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ok, who asked you out?"

"Boq did!" Nessa said. "He talked to me, and he was really nervous about asking me out. But he said Galinda encouraged him to ask me. So, thanks to Galinda, we're going to the dance! Isn't it wonderful?"

"Are you serious?" Elphaba said with clenched fists. "Galinda is the most rude, heartless, iand nconsiderate person I have ever met!"

"Don't say such things, Fabala!" Nessarose said hotly, her large brown eyes starting to water up. "I am about to have fun for the fist time in my life! I have a wonderful boy taking me to the dance! Please, Elphaba, try to understand! Galinda made this possible! If there was only something I could do for her to show her how much I appreciated this!"

Elphaba closed her eyes slowly. An idea came to mind. She could show Galinda her sister's gratitude herself. By doing . . . she didn't even want to think about it. It was horrible. No, absolutely not. No way in _hell_ . . .

"Elphaba?" Nessa said quietly. "Please, try to understand."

"I do, dear sister. I do." Elphaba cringed inside. This was going to be incredibly painful.

* * *

Elphaba tried to walk as slowly back to her room in Crage Hall as physically possible to delay the torture she was going to go through. But she decided half-way across campus the best thing to do was get it over with as quickly as she could.

Her dormroom door creaked open, and inside Galinda was trying on a dress _already_, being swarmed by at least five of her little cronies. Elphaba rolled her eyes and made her way over to her own side of the room.

Galinda's friends noticed Elphaba enter and gave her disgusted looks before turning their attention back to Galinda, followed by several numerous high-pitched squeals. Elphaba spared a glance to her roommate. The dress she was wearing was completely pink, and had a very frilly skirt and a tight bodice, making her chest look bigger than it already was. Elphaba resisted the urge to vomit with distaste. It had to be one of the most ridiculous dresses she'd ever seen.

Soon, Galinda's friends finished and left the room, but not without a full five minutes of touchy good-byes as if they'd never see Galinda again. Elphaba let out a sigh of relief when they were finally gone.

"Hey, um, Elphaba?" Galinda said in an unnaturally timid voice. This, along with the fact that Galinda called her by her name for the first time ever, caught her attention.

"Yes, Galinda?" Elphaba responded, her tone not as curt as usual.

Galinda ran to her bed where a large box was sitting. She grabbed it and handed it to Elphaba.

"I want you to have this!" she said, thrusting the box in Elphaba's face.

Elphaba eyed it cautiously and took it. Inside was a pointy black hat. Elphaba gave it sort of a sideways glance as she took it out.

"Um . . . thank you?" Elphaba said, although she couldn't tell if it was a serious gift or not.

"Oh, you're very welcomefied!" Galinda squealed. She pulled Elphaba to her feet and plopped the hat on her head. "See! Look, it's the perfect match! It's so sharp, just like you! Punctual! Bold! And just a hint of elegance, if I do say so myself! And you know that black is this year's 'in' color! It's so meant to be!"

Elphaba stared at her reflection in the mirror, and strangely, she felt as if Galinda was right for once. And she found she was growing quite attached to the strange new hat. Elphaba could feel herself smile.

"Thank you, Galinda," she said, never having even thought possible she would ever utter those three words in her life. "And I also want to thank you for what you did with my sister. You made her very happy. Thank you."

"So . . ." Galinda asked, trying her best to mask a coy grin. "Are you going to the dance?"

Elphaba could feel her smile grow wider. "I think I will."

* * *

The dance was in an hour, but Liiku was already set and ready to go. All he needed to do, of course, was get dressed.

"Tape recorder, check. Camera, check. Notepad, check. Pens, check. Extra notepad in case someone ruins my other one, check," Liiku muttered to himself. All of his equipment was placed neatly on his desk, ready to be called into action. He nodded with approval.

"Alright, gentlemen, tonight is going to be wild. The entire student body will be attending the dance at the Ozdust ballroom at precisely nineteen-hundred hours! There will be drinking! There will be grinding! There will be chaos and pandemonium! But it is not our mission to restore peace to the dance floor! Quite the contrary! Our mission is to capture and record every detail of this fiasco and make it back to this room alive to report of the night's events! Each and every one of you has a role vital to this mission, and I am counting on you all!"

"Liiku, who in Oz's name are you talking to?" Boq asked.

"My men," Liiku said, motioning to the items laying on his desk. Boq's eyebrows nearly shot up over his forehead.

"You were giving a pep talk to inanimate objects?" Boq asked, now looking very concerned. Liiku shrugged.

"Alright, let's get a move on," he said, and started dressing. He carefully stuffed his notepads in his inside jacket pockets and his tape recorder in his trouser pockets, and lastly slung his camera around his neck. He took a casual glance at his reflection in his mirror and tousled up his spiky black hair. He used some gel to keep it in place. On the opposite side of the room Boq was precariously combing his hair to perfection. Grinning evilly, Liiku snuck up behind him and pounced, furiously messing up his hair. Boq yelped with surprise, and Liiku bolted out the door before Boq could chase after him.

Well, Liiku had an hour to kill. Actually, more like two, because he knew people wouldn't start showing up until later. Maybe he should go and see how Elphaba was doing--

Wait, _why_?! Sure, they were friends, but that was being too imposing. What was he going to say? "Hey! Mind if I just randomly drop by your dorm unannounced and hang out for a couple hours?" No, that wasn't classy.

But he decided to take his time and head on up to the OzDust and check out the decorations before it got too crowded. And it was quite a ways away, he'd have just enough time to get there and snap a few pictures before the crowds started to show up.

The sun was starting to dip below the treetops, another sign of the impending winter and autumn months. Some of the leaves had begun to change colors, from soft oranges and yellows to blazing reds. But still, a number of the trees still retained their healthy and lush green color for the time being. A few leaves crunched underfoot as he sauntered along to the elegant ballroom.

This being his first time seeing the place in person, he couldn't help himself at gaping at the sight. It was absolutely exquisite. It looked more like the Wizard's personal ballroom than anything. The ballroom had high arched ceilings complete with beautifully detailed murals, pure-white pillars supporting the tall, domed roof, and he wouldn't be surprised if the gold-rimmed pillars was actual gold. Set up towards the back of the room was a small platform for the band, and tables lined the walls, and already waiters were covering them with drinks and snacks. It was without a doubt the fanciest place Liiku had ever been to. Whipping out his camera, he started taking pictures.

The front doors opened up to a large staircase that lead down to the dance floor, so Liiku walked down the staircase to get a better look. He noticed lights were strung across the ceiling and the food tables were being decorated with confetti, streamers, and balloons. Liiku took in it all, writing down his impression of the place in his notepad.

Just as he expected, when he finished getting as many quality photographs of the place as he needed, people began to show. Most were freshmen, like him, and most were people Liiku didn't know very well. He thought he recognized someone from his Literature class, and a few girls looked like they wer in his mathematics seminar, but Liiku didn't pay them too much attention. Just as the ballroom was beginning to fill up, a band marched in, took their seats on the platform, and began to play.

Liiku just hung off to the side, not being much of the dancer himself and instead just helped himself to some punch. He occasionally took a few more pictures and narrated the events into his tape recorder and even asked a few people what they thought about the dance. As he made his way around the dancing bodies, he saw Fiyero and Galinda dancing together. Galinda was wearing a frilly hot pink dress while Fiyero wore a dark crimson tuxedo. Liiku shook his head with disgust. Pink and dark red never go good together. Although somehow Fiyero managed to make it look somewhat _good_. Damn him.

Liiku took a sip of his punch. "Hm, this is good," he said to no one in particular.

"I know, isn't it?" Liiku turned and saw a girl he didn't know standing next to him. "What's in it?"

Liiku took another sip. "Lemons and melons and pears."

"Oh my." The girl shuffled off. Liiku shrugged.

Suddenly, everything stopped. The music, the dancing, everything just stopped all at once. Liiku stared around uncomfortably, and noticed everyone was staring up at the front doors. Liiku followed their gaze.

He almost dropped his punch. It was the first day of school all over again . . . but it was so much worse. Elphaba was standing at the top of the stairs, wearing a navy-blue dress, sturdy brown boots, and a tall, pointed black hat. It was a fashion disaster at best. Liiku could hear the crowds begin to snicker at her, and he shook his head.

"Elphaba, what the hell are you doing?" he whispered. "Get out of here!"

Elphaba marched up to the dance floor, taking off her hat as she did so. The sight was too humiliating for Liiku to stand. Everyone was staring at her, laughing at her. Liiku noticed that Elphaba was locking eyes with Galinda. Elphaba looked on the verge of breaking down, but at the same time, angry and defiant. Galinda looked stunned, and . . . _empathetic_?! No way, the light must be playing tricks on him. Elphaba abruptly slammed the hat on her head and began to dance. With no music at all, all by herself, right in the middle of the dance floor, with everyone staring at her. Liiku wanted to curl up and die. What was she doing?! She was only embarrassing herself further.

He also noticed Galinda and Fiyero talking to one another, but neither of them were laughing. In fact . . . they almost looked sorry for her. The look of pity in their eyes was all but impossible to miss. And Liiku couldn't believe it. But what stunned him more than that was that Fiyero was looking at Elphaba with a strange gaze of admiration and awe.

Galinda boldly stepped in the middle of the dance floor with Elphaba and began to dance with her. This time Liiku did drop his punch. No way. The most evil and spoiled girl on campus was dancing with Elphaba? It was the sign of the Apocalypse.

Elphaba and Galinda, dancing together . . . and _smiling_. It was almost too much for Liiku to take in. But gradually, the entire student body started dancing as well, and the band started playing again. Everything went right back to normal as if nothing had happened. Liiku shoved his way through the crowds and approached Elphaba, now dancing with Fiyero. And _smiling_!

"Liiku! What a surprise!" Elphaba said, noticing him in the crowds.

He smiled. "I was about to say the same thing," he said. He made eye-contact with Fiyero.

"I believe we got off on the wrong foot yesterday. My name is Fiyero. Pleasure to meet you," he said, extending his hand.

Liiku took his hand and shook. "Liiku Thriggs. Sorry for kicking your ass."

Fiyero laughed. "So I take it there won't be a round two, will there?"

"Not with the ladies around," Liiku joked.

"Liiku is my best friend," Elphaba was saying to Galinda. "Well, really, my _only_ friend."

"Well! I can remedy that!" Galinda said, hugging Elphaba tightly. "We're going to be bestest friends now! Thank you so much for asking Morrible to let me into her seminar!!"

"Thank you for getting a date for my sister," Elphaba said.

Liiku took out his camera and snapped off a couple shots of the two girls hugging. _Just in case I wake up and think this was all some whacked-out dream,_ he thought.

Fiyero turned to Liiku. "So . . . does this make us friends?"

Liiku chuckled. "I guess so. I'll let you know I've never been friends with a prince before."

"I'm honored," Fiyero said.

The band struck up a slow song, to which all the couples grabbed their dates and started slow dancing. Liiku was shocked to see Fiyero pull Elphaba in for a dance.

"Galinda, do you mind?" Fiyero asked innocently.

"Of course not, Fiyero!" Galinda said. Liiku, being the gentleman he was, took Galinda's hand to dance.

"So let me get this straight . . . you and Elphaba are friends now?" Liiku asked. "Are you sure the punch isn't spiked?"

Galinda giggled. "Of course not, silly! I just felt really bad for her, just dancing all by herself out there! I had to do something."

"I thought you hated her."

"I don't hate anyone _that_ much."

Liiku laughed. "Are you sure about that?" He spared a glance at Fiyero and Elphaba. They were both smiling, and Elphaba looked genuinely happy. Liiku couldn't help but laugh once again.

Good thing he decided to go for himself, or he wouldn't have believed a single bit of it.


	8. Chapter 8

Liiku's eyes cracked open as the mornig rays pierced his eyes like daggers. Groaning, he rolled out of bed. Last night had been quite a bit of fun, to say the least. He didn't get back to his dorm until the early hours of morning. Stretching, he threw on his clothes and rushed to his History class before he was late _again_.

He glanced around, looking for Elphaba, and he saw her. But he had to rub his eyes and smack himself a couple of times to make sure he was seeing things clearly. Was that punch spiked? Was he hung over, or drunk, or unknowingly drugged? Because what he was seeing didn't make any sense whatsoever.

Elphaba was standing on the opposite side of the room, with her long black hair untied from its usual braid and hanging loosely from her head. She was also wearing a flattering white blouse and navy blue skirt, perfectly accenting her subtle curves. She was even-- Liiku was sure he wasn't seeing straight-- _wearing lipstick and eye shaodw._

She was _beautiful_.

Liiku approached her. "Who are you and what have you done with Elphaba?" he asked in a stunned voice.

Elphaba smiled sheepishly and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Yeah, it's me. Hard to believe, isn't it? Galinda gave me a make-over last night."

"You look _gorgeous_."

Fiyero came up behind her and was gaping with the same awed and stunned expression Liiku was wearing. Liiku could feel himself tense.

Elphaba adverted her eyes shyly. "Thank you very much."

"But you shouldn't do that," Fiyero persisted.

"Do what?" Elphaba asked curiously.

"Be a Galinda." Fiyero said simply. "You should just be . . . you."

Both Elphaba and Liiku stared blankly at Fiyero. "Um, so! Last night, how fun," Liiku said awkwardly.

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun," Fiyero said. The tension between all three of them was almost unbearable. Thankfully, Dr. Dillamond came in a few moments later and asked everyone to take their seats. Liiku sat next to Elphaba with Fiyero sitting on her other side. Liiku could feel himself grow a bit angry. Why was he hanging out with Elphaba? And where was Galinda? Wasn't Fiyero dating her?

Nothing made sense any more.

Dr. Dillamond paced back and forth as everyone settled down into their seats. Liiku could tell that something was bothering their Goat professor. His paws were shaking, and his large brown eyes were wide and sad.

"Students," he said in a quivering voice. "I have something to say, and very little time to say it. I am sorry to inform you that this is my last day of teaching here at Shiz University. I am no longer permitted to teach here at the university."

Elphaba jumped to her feet. "What?"

Dillamond waved at her to return to her seat. "Please, Miss Elphaba," he said quietly. She fell back into her seat, horrified. "I want to thank you all for sharing your enthusiasm . . . your thoughts . . . and even your friendship." He glanced over at Elphaba and Liiku and smiled sadly.

Madame Morrible walked in, followed by three men in white coats that clearly stated they meant business. "Oh, my dear Doctor, I am so dreadfully sorry for your loss," she said grieviously.

Elphaba rose to her feet once again. "Please, Madame Morrible, you can't permit this!" she begged.

"Miss Elphaba, it's alright," Doctor Dillamond reassured. "They may take away my teaching career, but I shall continue to speak out!"

Two of the men grabbed Dr. Dillamond and started dragging him away. Liiku whipped out his tape recorder and turned it on. "October 25, 9:00 a.m. Madame Morrible fires Doctor Dillamond. Why? Is it because he's an Animal? That bitch," he said into the recorder. "Two men in lab coats assault Dillamond and shove him out the door against his will. What's going on?"

"They're not telling you the whole story! Remember that, class!" Dillamond cried out before he disappeared through the door.

Elphaba chased after him, but Liiku grabbed her wrist. "Wait, Elphaba, don't!" Liiku whispered.

"What do you want me to do?! Just sit here in silence?!" Elphaba cried out. "Why isn't anyone doing _anything_ about this injustice?!"

Liiku showed her his tape recorder, still turned on. "I'll go and find out where they're taking him. You stay here, ok?"

"I'm coming with you," Fiyero said determinedly.

"Like hell you are," Liiku snapped. "I work alone."

Liiku slipped out of the room, undetected by any of the other men and Morrible. It wasn't hard to find out where the men who had taken Dillamond had gone. They were heading back to the train station. Liiku sprinted after them, keeping a safe distance from them. Next to the platform was a large black carriage pulled by draft horses, to which the two men forcefully shoved Dillamond into. The driver snapped he reigns, and the carriage headed off.

Running as fast as his scrawny legs could carry him, he sprinted after the cariage and grabbed onto the back of it. _I must be out of my mind,_Liiku thought to himself. He put the tape recorder to his lips.

"Mysterious men in labcoats force Dillamond into a carriage. No markings or signs on it to indicate its purpose. I'll try to see if I can hear what they are talking about inside," he said. Bracing himself as best he could, he pressed his ear against the carriage and tried to listen to the conversation inside. Much to his relief, they were speaking in loud voices to one another.

"You can't fire me for just being an Animal!" Dillamond was saying.

"And good for you, that's not the only reason why we're taking you to the Emerald City!" one of the men said. So that's where they were going. But why the Emerald City?

"You have been filling your student's heads with lies! Animals do not deserve to be treated as equals of humans!" the second man said.

Liiku's jaw dropped. Was this what it was all about?! They were taking Dillamond away just because he was trying to promote Animal equality?

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Dillamond cried. "I demand to be released!"

"Sorry, Goat, no can do," one of them said. "We have strict orders to bring you straight to the Emerald City!"

Liiku growled to himself. _I really am crazy,_he thought. He jumped onto the roof and leapt at the driver, catching him completely by surprise. Liiku successfully managed to kick the driver off of his seat and grabbed the reigns. Yanking them hard, he pulled the carriage to a screeching halt.

"What the bloody hell?!" someone roared inside the carriage. Liiku jumped down and threw open the doors. The two men stared a thim in disbelief, and Liiku punched one of them hard across the face. The second lunged at him and wrestled him to the ground.

"Liiku!! What are you doing?!" Dillamond cried.

"RUN YOU STUPID GOAT!" he shouted.

Dillamond, thankfully, took the young boy's advice and sprinted off into the surrounding woods. By this time the other man that Liiku had punched had recovered and started chasing after Dillamond. Liiku was still furiously wrestling against the other man and had successfully got him in a headlock. He was squeezing his arms tightly together, choking him, when suddenly something hard and heavy hit him on the head. Liiku's vision went black for a split second and he crashed against the ground.

The driver had finally caught up to them and had swung an iron at the back of Liiku's skull. The driver helped the man to his feet and stared down with disgust at Liiku.

"You fucking piece of shit," the driver said, kicking him in the stomach. Liiku grunted loudly. "I should cut off your head and feed your body to the dogs!" The second man pulled Liiku to his feet and pinned his arms behind his back. "I'm going to teach you some manners!"

The driver punched him hard across the face several times. Liiku could feel the blood in his mouth but there wasn't anything he could do to fight back. The blow to his head left him weak and on the verge of unconsciousness, and each punch made his vision grow dark.

"Enough!" the first man said. Liiku turned, and to his horror, saw that he had caught Dillamond. The man had a gun pressed against his professor's back, and forced him back into the carriage. "We've wasted enough time. Leave him, we got what we came here for."

Liiku's eyes met Dillamond's. He lowered his head.

"I'm sorry. I tried," he said weakly.

"I know you did," Dillamond said quietly.

The driver turned back to Liiku. "You're one lucky bastard, you know?" He gave Liiku another vicious punch before letting him go and climbing back into the carriage. Liiku crumpled onto the dirt road, and vaguely saw the carriage race down the path.

And his world went black.

* * *

"Oh, sweet Lurline! Liiku! Liiku, wake up!"

Liik moaned, and his eyes slowly opened. The first thing he saw was a glaring light, but nothing more. That voice . . . who was it? His rattled mind could hardly process what was going on. He just wanted to close his eyes and pass out again. His head hurt so much.

"Liiku! Wake up, you bastard!"

Someone was grabbing him and shaking him roughly. Liiku tried to move and his arm jerked upwards, trying to swat away the imposing figure.

"Who . . . ?" he groaned. He couldn't even talk coherently.

"Good Oz, you're a mess. What the hell happened?"

Liiku's head began to clear and his vision grew sharper. Hovering above him was Fiyero himself, looking down on him worriedly. Liiku sighed inwardly and pushed himself to his feet.

"I'm fine," Liiku said. Just then, all the blood rushed from his head and he nearly keeled over, but Fiyero grabbed his arm, preventing him from toppling over.

"I'm sure you are," Fiyero retorted, trying to help Liiku stand. "You have blood all over yourself and one hell of a black eye. What happened?"

"I . . . chased after the guys who took Dillamond," he muttered. "And I got the shit kicked out of me."

"Why were you chasing after them in the first place?" Fiyero said.

"They . . . ungh. . ." Liiku stumbled and almost tripped over his own feet. Fiyero pulled him right back up and slung one of his arms over his shoulder.

"Ok, enough talking, we're getting you back to Shiz," Fiyero said. He helped Liiku hobble back to the school grounds, which proved to be a long and tedious journey. Liiku could hardly walk straight and was constantly stumbling over himself, but eventually, he began to walk more surely now that his grogginess was wearing off.

"How did you find me?" Liiku asked. Fiyero chuckled.

"I just kinda ran into you," he said. "I was in the forest, looking for a way out, and I saw you lying off to the side of the road."

"What were you doing in the forest?" Liiku asked.

"Oh, uh, the guy who replaced Dillamond came in with a Lion cub in a cage, and Elphaba and I took it and released it back into the wild," Fiyero explained.

"I'm sure you did," Liiku said skeptically.

Fiyero rolled his eyes. "Hey, if you don't believe me ask Elphaba yourself."

Liiku shoved Fiyero away. "Thanks for the help but I can walk on my own now."

"You're still walking like you're drunk," Fiyero commented.

"Shut up or I'll kick your ass again!" Liiku said whipping around to point at him. As he did so, his knee gave out and almost fell to the ground yet again. Fiyero resisted the urge to laugh loudly. Liiku swore as he stumbled to regain his balance.

"You ok there, killer?"

"Shut up."

Thy walked in silence the rest of the way back. Liiku walked at a faster pace than Fiyero and headed straight back to his dorm without saying a word to his companion. Judging by the sun's position, it was evening, which meant he had been out for quite a long time. And also meaning he had missed all of his classes. Great, just great.

Boq didn't even acknowledge his presence when he entered. He just sat at his desk with his nose buried in his book, which was just fine for Liiku. He glanced at himself in the mirror. He looked like a war victim than anything. Dirt and blood covered his face, his cheek was swollen, and his lip hadbeen cut, leaving a rather nasty scab at the corner of his mouth.

"Lurline, I do look like shit," he muttered to himself. Boq turned around and almost fainted at the sight of him.

"Lurline, Liiku, what happened to you?!" he cried.

"Long story," Liiku grumbled. "I'm going to take a shower, ok?"

Minutes later, he was standing beneath a steady stream of hot water, letting it wash away all the dirt and blood that covered his body. Looking over himself, he stared back at the other scars that covered his body. Scars he got in his childhood, faint and virtually non-existent, but still there. Letting out a deep breath, he washed his blood-splattered face as best he could.

When he emerged and changed into a fresh pair of clothes, he was greeted at his door by Elphaba and Fiyero. Elphaba lunged at him and wrapped her arms around his torso, catching him completely by surprise.

Liiku stiffened at the sudden assault. "Um . . . hi," he said.

"Fiyero told me what happened. Sweet Lurline, I'm so sorry!" Elphaba said, pulling away.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault," Liiku said. "I was kinda asking for it, to be honest with you. But tell me, is it true you and Princess over there rescued a Lion cub?" he added, pointing to Fiyero. He stiffened, much to Liiku's amusement.

She nodded. "I had to! They were keeping it in a cage so it couldn't learn how to speak!"

Liiku's eyes went wide. "That's horrible! But that reminds me! I was able to overhear what the guys who took Dillamond were talking about. They were taking him to the Emerald City just because he was trying to promote Animal equality!"

"This is an outrage!" Elphaba said fiercely. "I'm going to tell the Wizard all about this the second I meet him!"

"Well, good luck with that, I doubt he'll ever see anyone," Liiku sighed. He hated to break Elphaba's spirit, but _no one_ saw the Wizard.

Elphaba broke out into a huge grin. "That's right! You haven't heard yet! I was called to the Emerald City for a private audience with the Wizard himself!"

Liiku gasped. "You were?!"

"Yes! He said he was so impressed with my talent that he wished to see me in person! Isn't it wonderful?"

"Elphaba, that's amazing! That's incredible!" he cried, and gripped his green friend tightly. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Yes! And when I see him, I'll tell him everything! Someone has to do something, might as well be me!" Elphaba said eagerly.

"When are you going to see him?" Liiku asked.

"Next week," she said. "But I really cannot wait! Just think! In one week, I'll be with the Wizard! I cannot possibly express how excited I am for this!"

Liiku smiled. "Things are definitely looking up! I know you'll do great!"


	9. Chapter 9

**If you don't want to have your feelings hurt, please skip this author's note :D**

**Ok, ranting because I'm really getting sick of seeing this sort of thing all the time in my reviews:**

**"OMG DON'T LET LIIKU AND ELPHIE GET TOGETHAR! WHERE'S THE FIYERABA?!"**

**Reviewers: PLEASE SETTLE DOWN AND BE PATIENT. THE FIYERABA WILL COME CHILL OUT. THE STORY DESCRIPTION SAYS FIYERABA SO OBVIOUSLY THIS WILL BE A FIYERABA. I would have not put that up there unless it was going to be. Liiku and Elphaba ARE NOT going to be a thing! But they are friends, ok? Please relax already. And for those of you worried about not being enough Fiyero/Elphaba fluff, WILL YOU RELAX? I will GET TO IT! I have a lot planned for them LATER IN THE STORY. CHILL OUT. **

**All I'm asking you to do is stop with the "OMG where's the fiyeraba? Don't let Liiku and Elphie get together that'll make me sad :(" It's driving me insane. Knock it off. **

**Ugh. Don't get me wrong, I love getting reviews. I love all of my reviewers to death. I love seeing the feedback I get for my hard work and efforts. It just ticks me off that all people seem to care about is getting a good dose of Fiyeraba. What you need to realize is that the story has really only just begun. Please, _please _be patient and bear with me, ok?**

**Oh, and a little side-note, THIS IS NOT GOING TO FOLLOW THE EXACT LAY-OUT OF THE MUSICAL, OK? It's pretty AU, in case you haven't figured that out quite yet.**

**End rant.****

* * *

**

The still and quiet night was filled with the endless clatter of keys slamming against a fresh sheet of paper. Liiku was staying up well into the early hours of morning to finish writing the latest article for the Shiz Post. And he had several articles he wanted to publish. First and foremost, Dr. Dillamond's inexcusable expulsion. Second, the dance, although he wasn't sure if he should include the whole ordeal with Galinda and Elphaba. That might just make it ungodly corny-sounding and it would drive away devoted readers.

He resisted the urge to write about Elphaba's acceptance to a personal audience with the Wizard, partially because he quite frankly doubted anyone would care.

Liiku spared a glance over his shoulder at his peacefully sleeping roommate. Boq was snoring a bit, but it wasn't bad enough to make Liiku clog his mouth with a rag, although he had to restrain himself from such childish actions. But he couldn't restrain a snicker at the thought.

Finally, around three in the morning, his two articles were finished. He let out a long sigh of relief and fell back against the stiff wooden chair. Turning off his lamp, he crawled under his covers and instantly fell asleep.

* * *

"Liiku, wake up!"

Liiku's ice-cold eyes snapped open suddenly and he jerked awake. His face was ashen and panicked and he was covered in sweat, as if he had seen a ghost.

"What's wrong?" Boq said cautiously.

"Nothing, just . . . a bad dream," Liiku said, shaking his head. He rolled out of bed and started to get dressed as if nothing had happened. "By the way, did you hear the good news? Elphaba's going to see the Wizard in a week."

"Yes, Nessa told me all about it. She's very proud of her," Boq said.

"You're still hanging out with that girl?" Liiku said with a mild note of distaste. "I thought you didn't like her."

"Well . . . she's actually kind of sweet once you get to know her . . ."

"You're so full of shit, you know that?" Liiku snapped. "I can tell you don't have any feelings for her. Leave her now, or you're going to be sorry."

"But I just can't walk out on her like that!" Boq whined.

"Then grow a backbone," Liiku retorted. He shoved some books in his book bag and marched out of the room, leaving Boq gaping like an idiot. Once alone, Liiku closed his eyes and reflected back on his dream. He could still remember it vividly. It had been so real. But all there was in his dream was an endless sea of blood. And someone, a young girl most likely, screaming in the background. It had been so real he could almost smell the blood that covered the floor . . .

He shook his head. What was he getting so worked up over? It was just a dream. It didn't mean anything.

First on his agenda was to drop off the articles to Mr. Marx. The big, burly director of the paper company greeted him as warmly as ever and Liiku handed him his articles without much of a word. He decided, since his classes didn't start until later in the afternoon, that hew should head to the library to study and get some of his homework done.

As he sat down and pulled out his books, he heard some scuffling coming from behind him. He thought nothing of it until a flash of green caught his eye. Whipping around, he saw Elphaba casually walk over to another table, carrying a few books in her slender arms. She pulled up a chair and began to work silently, delving into her studies fervently. Liiku smiled to himself and continued with his own work. Elphaba was a very strange and unique girl, to say the least, and not just because of her skin color. She was so passionate, fiery and independent. And he admired that about her. But she just wasn't his type. He wasn't the kind to get tied down with a _girlfriend_, and surely Elphaba felt the same way about him. They were just friends. Nothing more.

Liiku happened to glance up and saw Fiyero walk into the library and glance around. He spotted Elphaba and strutted quickly over to her table. Liiku stared in mild horror as he pulled up a chair next to Elphaba and started talking to her in a very quiet voice. Liiku couldn't hear what they were saying, but ELphaba was smiling at him. Liiku's hands clenched into fists. What did that bastard want with her?

As if to answer his question, Fiyero pulled out a book, and the two of them hunched over it and began reading it together. Liiku relaxed a little. _She's just helping him with his studies. She's just his tutor. Nothing else going on there._

Wait . . . since when did the scandalous prince of the Vinkus ever care about studies?! Liiku inwardly groaned. He was trying to hit on her! Why would a shallow jerk such as himself be interested in Elphaba?

That only made him curious as to what _really_ happened in the woods when they rescued the Lion cub.

Liiku smacked himself. _Knock it off, idiot!_ he thought to himself angrily. _Elphaba can hang out with whoever she wants to! And she's not that dense, she knows Fiyero's a self-absorbed, shallow, narcissist idiot! She's so much better than him. She's only with him because she's helping him study. Stop getting so defensive, you moron!_

He turned back to his studies, keeping a careful eye on the clock to make sure he wasn't late for his classes. He was able to finish all the homework he had shoved aside and read a few passages they would be discussing in his literature class. After two hours of work, he packed up his things and headed out the door to his classes.

Really, why was he getting so defensive over Elphaba? As if a guy like Fiyero could actually _care _about someone like Elphaba . . .

* * *

Elphaba's hands shook nervously as she packed up the rest of her things for her trip to the Emerald City. Galinda was prancing around excitedly, unable to retain her euphoria.

"You're going to see the Wizard! You're going to see the Wizard! I'm so happy for you!" she squealed.

Elphaba smiled. "I'm so nervous my hands are shaking," she laughed.

"Let me help you," Galinda said, and grabbed a few of Elphaba's things. "Oh, I have to give you some advice before you go! You picked out a nice dress to wear, that's very good! First impressions are very important! And don't forget to tell him how wonderful hie is! He loves compliments like that! And a little flattery never hurts! Oh, and be yourself! Well . . . within reason!"

Elphaba laughed to herself at her friend's bubbiliness, but took her advice to heart. They headed over to the train station where Liiku, Boq, and Nessarose would be there to see her off. Liiku waved excitedly as she approached and gave her a big hug.

"Elphaba, I'm so happy for you! I can't believe you're really going to see the Wizard!" Liiku said.

"I'm so proud! Father is, too!" Nessarose said. "We're all proud, aren't we?" she said, turning to the group.

Elphaba lowered herself to one knee and took Nessa's hand. "You'll be alright without me, won't you?" she asked worriedly.

"She'll be fine!" Galinda assured. "Biq will take good care of her, won't you?"

"It's _Boq_!" he said angrily. Liiku was a little shocked with his sudden hostility. Usually he was such a big pushover, and to say something like that to his crush! _Well, Boq must be developing some spine after all, _Liiku thought. Boq looked back and forth between Nessa and Galinda. "And . . . I can't do this anymore!" he said in a frustrated tone, and walked off.

"Boq, wait!" Nessa cried desperately.

Liiku stood in front of her. "Nessa, let him go," he said quietly.

"But he's the one, I know it! Ad I . . ." Nessa said. Tears began to form in her large brown eyes.

"Nessa, he doesn't love you. Let him go," Liiku said firmly. "You deserve someone better. And you'd be a fool to chase after someone who doesn't care about you."

Elphaba and Galinda gasped. Nessa was crying now.

"How can you say that?! I love him!"

"You don't _love_ him! You're _obsessed _with him!" Liiku snapped. "You're only hurting yourself if you keep chasing him! I know you don't have any legs to walk on, but by God, woman, learn to get by without constantly clinging on someone else!"

There was a very long, stunned silence, all three of the girls staring in horror at Liiku. Finally, Nessa lowered her head, and wheeled herself around.

"You're right. I'll . . . I'll be going now. Good luck, Fabala," she whispered, and wheeled herself off in the opposite direction.

"Liiku, how could you?" Elphaba said angrily.

"It needed to be done. Your sister needs to stop being so dependent on others! And chasing Boq like that isn't healthy; she would only end up hurting herself in the process," Liiku said. Elphaba narrowed her eyes. "Look, I didn't like it, either. But I had to do it! She needs to learn to get by without you or anyone else by her side."

"We all do," Galinda said with a slight smile. "It's going to be so different without you."

"But at least you still have Fiyero," Elphaba said. Liiku's heart skipped a beat. "I wonder where Fiyero is," Elphaba said distantly. Liiku stared at her. "Not like I'm expecting him to come or anything," she added quickly.

Galinda's smile faltered for a moment. "Oh, Elphie, I wanted to talk to you about that! It's Fiyero! He's been distant and moodified! And he's beginning to think, which is really worrying me!"

Liiku repressed a snort. "I saw him in the library a few days ago studying, so I'm starting to get a little confused myself."

"And it all started the day after Dr. Dillamond got fired! I never thought he cared so much about that old Goat!" Galinda said nervously. She glanced around and broke out into a huge grin. "Oh, there he is! He did come!" She started to wave frantically. "Fiyero! Fiyero! Over here!"

Fiyero was carrying a handful of poppies, and strode over to the trio with a huge smile on his face. He walked right past Galinda and gave Elphaba the flowers. "Elphaba, I'm very happy for you," he said sincerely.

Elphaba took the flowers gratefully, although she did look rather surprised at the unexpected gift.

"Yes, dear, we're all happy for you!" Galinda said, taking Fiyero's arm. He didn't even look at her. His eyes never left Elphaba.

"Uh, listen, I've been thinking," Fiyero started.

"Yes, I've noticed," she replied.

He chuckled. "Well, about that Lion cub . . . and . . . everything. I think about that day a lot."

Elphaba was silent for a moment. "Yes. I think about that day a lot, too," she said in a quiet voice.

"So do I!" Galinda butted in, obviously desperate to draw attention to herself. "I think about Dr. Dillamond! And how he was unfairly fired. It makes me want to . . . uh, take a stand! In fact, I've been thinking about . . . changing my name!"

Liiku stared at her. "Excuse me?" he said in disbelief.

"Yes! Changing my name! Since Dr. Dillamond had his own special way of pronouncing my name. In solidarity, and to express my uh . . . _outrage _I will no longer be known as Galinda, but simply as _Glinda_!" she said proudly, taking a deep and dramatic bow.

"Well, um . . . that's very admirable of you, uh . . . _Glinda_," Fiyero said slowly. He turned around and flashed Elphaba another smile. "Good luck, Elphaba!" He then took off back to the university grounds. Elphaba, Liiku, and the newly-pronounced Glinda stood there with bewildered expressions.

"There! You see!" Galinda (er, rather _Glinda_) cried exasperatedly.

"Galinda, it's ok," Elphaba said.

"It's Glinda, now!" she said in between loud sniffles. "I don't even know why I did that! Such a stupid thing to do, changing my name!"

"It doesn't matter what your name is! Everyone loves you!" ELphaba said in a desperate attempt to cheer her friend up.

"Yeah, who doesn't like the beautiful and bubbly Upplander that is Ga-er, _Glinda_," Liiku said.

"I don't care, I want him!" Glinda said. "This must be what it feels like to not get what I want. How do they bear it?"

"Oh yes, how do people _live _without getting every little thing they want?" Liiku said a little angrily.

Elphaba, being a bit more compassionate than her friend, took her into a comforting embrace. "Why don't you come with me to the Emerald City?" Elphaba offered.

Galinda immediately stopped crying and stared up at her friend. "You really mean it?! Oh, I always wanted to see the Emerald City!"

"Then come on, let's go! The train leaves soon!" Elphaba said. They grabbed each other's hands and ran off to the train.

"Elphaba!" Liiku called out. Elphaba whipped around. "Good luck!"

She smiled, and disappeared into the crowds of the train station.


	10. Chapter 10

Right now, half a world away, Elphaba and the newly named Glinda were preparing to meet the great and wonderful Wizard. Liiku could hardly sit still. Elphaba promised to write to him as soon as she was finished with her meeting, but that still would take one or two days to get all the way to Shiz from the Emerald City. He had to be patient, but he couldn't get himself to relax. He was hoping for the best, and he had faith that Elphaba was going to do something wonderful once she started working with the Wizard. It was inevitable. Someone as strong, independent, and compassionate as Elphaba was bound for great things.

He continued to pace around his room, a massive amount of homework lay forgotten on his desk. Boq was out and about somewhere, but Liiku didn't care at all. He had told Boq what he had told Nessa at the train station, and he could only hope his words reached the poor crippled girl. But he had no time to think about any of that at all. He was too excited for Elphaba. She will be famous, Liiku was sure of it. And he could probably get an excellent job writing all about her.

But it wasn't really all about him, was it?

Liiku was pulled from his thoughts at the creaking of the old door. Liiku turned around and saw Fiyero at the threshold.

"Mind if I come in?" he said.

Liiku shrugged. "If you want. Something tells me you'd come in no matter what I say."

Fiyero let out a soft chuckle and took one of the chairs in the room, turning it backwards and resting his arms over the top of the backrest. "Still can't believe Elphaba is really going out there to see the Wizard," he said distantly. "She's only eighteen, and already on her way to becoming some great big famous vizier."

"Power to the green people," Liiku said. Fiyero laughed loudly.

"You never told me how you became friends with her," Fiyero said.

Liiku cast him a cautious glare. "Why would you want to know something like that?"

"I'm just curious, is all," Fiyero said.

Liiku's lips twitched up into a faint smile. "I met her on the very first day of school. And the moment I saw her, I was fascinated. I'd never seen anyone like her. At that moment, I knew I _had_ to find out all I could about her. I went up to her, and after a little of a rough introduction, we became friends."

Fiyero nodded slowly. "You must really like her."

"As a _friend_," Liiku said sharply.

"No need to get so defensive. I like her, too."

Liiku looked at him. "You do?"

"Of course. She's so unique. And in more ways than one," he said.

"I thought you were with Glinda," Liiku pointed out. FIyero shrugged.

"It was a one-time thing. I'm not really interested in her. Glinda's sweet, but she's so . . ."

"Blond?" Liiku snickered. Fiyero grinned.

"Yes. She is very blond."

Liiku gazed silently out his window at the university grounds sprawled before him. Colorful leaves fluttered through the wind as the world around them changed from a lively green to fiery reds and oranges. Students dotted the landscape like ants, some sitting on benches, others laying on the grass with books in hands, still others walked slowly on the cobblestone paths, with their heads cast upwards at the trees exploding with color. He folded his arms over his chest and let out a deep breath.

"So did is majesty come all the way over to my room just to talk to little old me?" he said.

"Actually, yes I did," Fiyero said. "You're really the only decent friend I have."

Liiku couldn't hold in a loud roar of laughter. "Me? Your only decent friend?! Last time I checked I got in a fistfight with you!"

"I know," Fiyero said seriously. Liiku's laughter died away. "You're not impressed by my status and you don't care if I'm a prince. Everyone else just grovels at my feet thinking they'll end up rich and famous because they're 'my friend.' But you're not like that at all."

Liiku was silent.

"You're the first one who has ever stood up to me," Fiyero said. "If I said the same thing I said to Elphaba to anyone else, no one would have cared. They would have just let it slide. But not you."

"I am not entirely sure if I'm being complimented here," Liiku said.

Fiyero laughed. "Well, I just want to thank you for smacking some common sense into me."

"You are very welcome. Please inform me as soon as possible whenever you need another really good beating."

Fiyero and Liiku both laughed and sat yet again in a comfortable silence, simply watching the daily events of the passing students. Fiyero took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"I think I love her," he said suddenly.

"What?" Liiku said stupidly.

"Elphaba. I think . . . I think I love her."

Liiku stared at him, jaw agape. "You can't be serious," he said coldly.

"I know it's weird," Fiyero said. "I wasn't sure of it myself. But every time I see her, I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach. I have never felt this way before about someone else."

"Get your head out of your ass! You don't love her," Liiku snapped as he smacked Fiyero hard over the head. "You barely _know_ her. You met her little more than a week ago and you claim you love her?! You're an idiot."

"You seem to like her a lot," Fiyero said angrily.

"She's my friend! I know her! Of course I like her!" Liiku said. "And I think you're a fool to believe _you_ could possibly love _her_!"

Fiyero stood, his fists clenched and shaking ever so slightly. Liiku did not back down. Fiyero gave him a cold glare and turned away.

"I though you of all people would have understood," he said quietly, and left, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

He needed to clear his head. He still couldn't believe what Fiyero had told him. He, love Elphaba? How ridiculous. Fiyero didn't know the first thing about her.

Liiku walked around the campus, staying on a singular path that lead all the way around the entirety of Shiz. He didn't look up, only locked his eyes with the ground and kept moving forward.

When he did pick his head up to gather in his surroundings, he found himself nearing the bridge crossing Suicide Canal. Liiku slowed his step as he approached, closing his eys and listening to the steady gurgle of the flowing water. Stopping on the crest of the bridge, he gazed down at the flowing crystal-clear water beneath him. It was such a calming and relaxing sight. He could have stayed there all day.

His sight drifted over to one of the trees planted near the edge of the river, and he saw Nessarose. Her long, light brown hair hung loosely around her shoulders, blocking her face, and she held several wildflowers in her lap. Gingerly picking up one, she slowly tugged off the petals one by one, and let the autumn wind pluck them from her fingers and fly into the churning waters in front of her. Liiku came up to Nessa's side silently and watched her continue to throw the flower petals into the river.

"I should thank you, really," she said suddenly in a quiet voice. Liiku looked at her. Her eyes were distant and sad, but still bright and alive.

"For what?" he asked.

"For making me see the errors of my ways," Nessa said. "You were right. I didn't love him. I just wanted someone I could cling to."

"You don't need to cling to anyone," Liiku said softly.

"I know. But I always had someone to take care of me. Dear sister Fabala had always looked after me and always took the blame when something happened to me, even when it wasn't her fault."

Liiku picked up a pebble and skipped it across the water's surface. "And what will you do now that she's gone?"

"I'm going to have to figure out a way to get by on my own, won't I?" Nessarose said. "I may not have any legs to stand on, like you said, but . . . you were right. I have to find a way to live on my own. Thank you."

"Just doing my civic duty," Liiku said. He skipped another rock across the water's surface, leaving ripples in the water's surface before vanishing with the moving current.

* * *

A few days later, Liiku woke early and decided it would be another great day for a therapeutic walk down to Suicide Canal. The late morning air was slightly chillier than the other day, so he grabbed his ragged black coat and slung it around his shoulders carelessly. The wind whipped around him, making him shiver and clutch the coat only closer to his scrawny and wiry body. The leaves crunched underfoot as he trotted along the fresh-cut stones. He passed several of the majestic and grand building along his way, and his eye caught a newspaper stand as he crossed through the quad. Curious, he walked over to find out what the latest story was.

He froze. His heart had skipped several beats and his lungs refused to work as his eyes stared at the newspaper headlines.

No.

No!

Liiku grabbed a copy in shaky hands and brought it up. His eyes had to be tricking him.

_No!_

But there, written in black and white, clear as crystal, were the terrible words that made Liiku's blood freeze.

**_GREEN-SKINNED WICKED WITCH PRONOUNCED AS ENEMY TO ALL OF OZ_**

"No, no, no!" Liiku cried. "NO!" He read on, his mind in a panic as to how something like this could possibly happen.

_Yesterday, November 3, here in the great and magnificent Emerald City, an unexpected and a bizarre threat has erupted and struck terror and fear into the hearts of countless citizens. Witnesses claim to have spotted a hideous green-skinned woman fly on an enchanted broom out of the Wizard's Palace sometime around midnight. Witnesses also have claimed to hear this menace cackle wickedly as she flew off into the sky--_

"WHAT?!" Liiku roared. "Elphaba would never, you lying bastards!" But he went on.

_The Wizard's personal press secretary then gave a brief overview of the events that had happened. "It was quite a terrifying ordeal," Press Secretary Madame G. Morrible stated. "I arranged a meeting with one of my finest students, Miss Glinda Uppland--_

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" Liiku screamed.

_--with the great and wonderful Wizard of Oz. When the Wizard had heard of Glinda's goodness and her wondrous magical capabilities, he decreed her to be known henceforth as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, in honor of her birthplace."_

Liiku's hands were clenched so tightly they threatened to tear the article to pieces. "Lies! Lies, all of it!" he seethed.

_And then out of the shadows sprung up a disgusting creature I cannot even think to call human because of its horrifyingly repulsive green skin. The creature- the Witch- cried out in malevolent rage and declared that she would destroy the Wizard and Glinda the Good, most likely out of petty envy of Glinda's beauty, endless talents and goodness."_

_Authorities are putting together a search party to track down and kill this criminal before she fulfills her evil plan of destroying our wonderful Wizard. All citizens are to be advised of the dangerous Witch, and are to report any sightings. The Witch is skilled in magic and will not hesitate to harm anyone in her way. It is also imperative no one is to listen to anything she says because she has been known to trick and deceive people with her cunning lies. Never before has Oz faced such a villain--_

Liiku ripped the newspaper to pieces out of sheer rage. How could they do that?! How could they say such ridiculous things?! Elphaba wasn't dangerous! She would never try to harm anyone! And he knew for a fact _Elphaba_ went to see the Wizard because _she_was the one with great magic! Glinda wasn't even supposed to _be_there! Liiku walked back and forth, livid with rage.

Elphaba, a Wicked Witch?

A villain?!

Never!

There had to be a reason for this! Obviously no one asked for Elphaba's side of the story, so all he could know for sure was that Elphaba went to the Emerald City and something happened to her that made the Wizard label her as a criminal. Was it because of her skin Was the Wizard so repulsed by her appearance that he immediately proclaimed her a Wicked Witch without even letting her defend herself?

He wouldn't be surprised.

He fell to his knees, feeling tears come to his eyes. Somewhere out there, Elphaba was running for her life, with nowhere to go. With no one to turn to, with no one to help her, no place safe to hide and take shelter. She must be so scared.

This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this. Elphaba was supposed to do good! She was supposed to be on the Wizard's side! She was going to do so much for Oz! So many good things for Oz! She wasn't a criminal!

"God, I know I haven't been a devoted follower of you, but please, keep my friend safe," Liiku whispered. He rose to his feet. "She's not a criminal! And by god, I'm going to prove it! Elphaba, wherever you are, keep safe. I won't let these bastards get away with these lies!"


	11. Chapter 11

Liiku pounded loudly on Fiyero's door. "Open up, Fiyero!" he shouted. "This is important! Come on, you stupid bastard! I know you're in there!"

Fiyero jerked the door open and eyed the scrawny boy angrily. Needless to say, after the incident when Fiyero confessed his feelings for Elphaba, they had avoided each other at all costs. "What do you want this time?" he snapped.

Liiku thrust the paper at Fiyero. "Read it," he said.

Fiyero grudgingly took the paper, but as soon as he read the headlines, his jaw dropped wide open and his eyes went wide. He looked back and forth between Liiku and the paper, his face a mixture of horror and disbelief.

"This . . . is this a joke?" he asked weakly.

"Does it look like a joke to you?" Liiku said. He paced in a circle, running his fingers through his hair. "Goddamn it, how can something like this happen?"

"I don't believe it!" Fiyero cried, and threw the paper on the ground. "Elphaba would never do something so reckless!"

"I know, and now I'm convinced that this is just a bunch of lies to cover up what really happened, and I'm determined to find out just what that is, but I might need your help," Liiku said. "First, we need to talk to Boq and Nessa. They're Elphaba's friends, too. And Nessa might know where Elphaba ran off to after the incident."

Fiyero nodded, all former hostility between the two boys completely forgotten. They swiftly walked across campus where they knew Nessa was staying. Liiku saw her sitting in her chair just outside the main hall, her head cast downwards with her hair falling around her round face, hiding all features. Boq was by her side, on one knee and gripping her hand in his own.

"You think they know?" Fiyero said.

"I think they read the paper," Liiku said. He rushed to Nessa's side and cupped her face in his rough calloused hands. "Nessa?" he said gently.

Her eyes were red and her rosy cheeks were wet with tears. "How could she, Liiku? How could she do such a thing?" she whispered.

"You don't honestly believe word of that shit, do you?" Liiku said angrily. "Elphaba would never do such a thing! Do you honestly think she would?!"

"If she didn't do anything then why did she run?" Nessa cried.

"Maybe because people are trying to fucking _kill _her!" Liiku roared, finally losing his temper. "She has the entire country after her! She would be crazy _not_ to run! And now we have to help her!"

"How are we going to help her? What can we do?" Boq said.

"Think! We have the Prince of the Vinkus and the future governess of Munchkinland on Elphaba's side! We can do something to at least change the people's minds enough so they won't try to shoot her on sight!" Liiku said. He paused, taking in a deep breath. And then he came up with a brilliant plan. It was crazy, but it just might work. "And just think! One article--one single _fucking _article!--was enough to turn the entire country against her! Now, if I were to get a position at the Emerald City Post, think of what I can do for her! The Wizard isn't the most powerful person in the world! It's the people who have control over the press! The press is the one who influences the people! I can help her that way! We all can help her! And she needs us right now!"

"What if you're wrong?" Boq said suddenly. "What if she really . . . really did all of those things the paper said she did?"

"I won't even think she is capable of such monstrosities," Liiku growled. "Nessa, do you think your sister could ever do something like this?"

Nessa fumbled for words, and fiddled with her hands nervously. "Well, dear Fabala was always hot-tempered and a bit rash, but she was never cruel or wicked . . ."

"So you don't think she would openly declare to destroy the Wizard and laugh like a maniac as she made her escape?" Liiku persisted.

Nessa began to cower away from Liiku's harsh interrogation. "No . . ." she said weakly. "She always cared for me . . . she loved me almost as much as Father did . . ." Her eyes then went very wide. "Oh no, Father! He will _kill_ her if he ever sees her! He will be so upset!"

"Then you have to convince him that this is all a bunch of lies," Liiku said. "Elphaba is his daughter, for god's sake! He has to--"

"NO! You don't understand!" Nessa said, and then she began to sob violently. "Father . . . father hates Fabala! And . . . my Father may not even be Elpahab's _real_ father . . ."

Liiku's jaw dropped. "What? How . . . how can you be sure?"

"Because my father claims to be a man of the Unnamed God and he would never be cursed with a child of such hideous skin color," Nessa whispered. "He convinced himself that my mother mush have had an affair. Because it simply was not possible that Elphba was his daughter . . ."

Liiku's hands clenched into fists. "When I see your father . . . remind me to beat the fucking shit out of him," he said in a voice that was quivering with rage. "Elphaba's skin is not a curse! It is not _hideous_! And she is not a _fucking wicked witch_ and that is final!"

All three of them stared at Liiku for a very long time. "So . . . you think . . . you think we can help her?" Fiyero finally said.

"We have to try, at the very least," Liiku said. He then brought his hands to his chin and thought long and hard, and came to a sudden realization. "Fiyero . . . remember when we first met?"

"How can I forget?" he said uneasily.

"You totally kicked my ass. That's not an easy thing to do," Liiku said. "You're a damn good fighter. Fiyero, are you willing to join the Gale Force?"

"What?!" he asked.

"We need someone from the inside! Someone who can find out all of their plans so we know what they're doing! We can use that to tell Elphaba what they're planning so she can escape from them!"

"One problem with your brilliant plan; how do we contact Elphaba? We have no idea where she is and we have no idea where we can find her," Fiyero said.

Liiku sighed. "I know. But we will find her, somehow. Nessa, do you have any idea where she might have gone?"

"Well, one place she definitely is not is back home in Munchkinland," Nessa said. "After that . . . well, I have no idea."

Liiku rubbed his chin. "Damn it. I guess the only thing we can do now is wait for Glinda to return and ask her what really happened."

"But now she's supposedly the Good Witch of the North and will be helping the Wizard track down Elphaba," Boq pointed out.

"Well, she has to return some time, I mean, she left all her things here!" Liiku said. "We'll just wait until she comes back and ask her then."

"We have no idea when that will be," Nessa said distantly.

"I'm not going to sit here and do nothing!" Liiku said furiously. "I'm going to help her even if it _kills_ me!" He then headed off back to his own dorm to take the first step towards his mission; he was going to write an article calling out the Wizard's false accusation.

Fiyero followed behind him closely. "Wait, Liiku! Hey, I said stop!"

Liiku didn't even slow. "We have to help her Fiyero!"

"I'm not saying we shouldn't help her, I just--"

"What?!" he snapped, stopping dead in his tracks. "You claim to love Elphaba, but you're not willing to do what it takes to save her? You're pathetic." He turned away, but Fiyero grabbed his shoulder and spun him back around.

"You shut up," Fiyero hissed. "You don't know _anything_. I'll help, I never said I wouldn't. But I don't know if I can get into the guard."

"You're a Prince. Figure it out," Liiku said. "Look, the Gale Force was just an idea, but we need someone from the inside."

Fiyero nodded. "I'm sure my father has connections to the army. I'll see what I can do."

Liiku allowed a rare smile. "Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."

* * *

He didn't sleep at all that night. Instead, he worked straight through the night, typing up a brand new article for Mr. Marx for the Shiz Post. It had to be absolutely perfect; no holes, no flaws, absolutely nothing wrong with it. At around two in the morning, Boq had finally given up trying to persuade Liiku to go to bed, and had dozed off almost immediately himself. But Liiku felt as awake and alert as ever. He had many sleepless nights before; tonight was no different. Actually, he felt even more awake than usual because of the importance of his work.

The sun cracked over the horizon, and Liiku was finished with his paper. Rubbing his eyes, e ripped the paper off his typewriter, grabbed his things, and rushed over to the Wesling Building. Even though it was very early in the morning, the doors were open, and Liiku walked in to see Mr. Marx pace around the lobby with a large cup of coffee in hand,

"Liiku?" he said stupidly, obviously very tired himself. "What are you doing here so early?"

"I need you to print out this story," Liiku said, holding out his newly finished article to Mr. Marx. He squinted at the paper and rubbed his tired, red eyes, and eventually pulled out some spectacles from his chest pocket to read it. His eyes twitched slightly as he read the paper.

"You know," he said slowly. "I'm going to get in a lot of trouble if I print this out."

"The people have to know!" Liiku said fiercely. "Elphaba isn't wicked! And people have got to know that!" He sighed. "And Elphaba is one of the few real friends I have. I got to help her! I can't just sit back and do nothing while the entire country is out there, looking for her. I need to get this published!"

Mr. Marx's lips curved up into something between a smirk and a smile. His large shoulders shook with silent laughter, and he ran a hand through his hair. "Alright, kiddo, I'll do it. But for your sake, I'm going to leave you anonymous."

Liiku nodded. "Thank you."

"You look exhausted. Coffee?" he offered, holding out his cup.

"Cream and sugar?"

"None."

Liiku took it and downed three huge gulps of the boiling liquid. "That's the stuff."

* * *

No more than seventy-two hours later, a fresh new stack of newspapers filled the racks in Shiz University, the front page loudly proclaiming **_The Wicked Witch? Fact or Fiction? _**Liiku smiled to himself to see dozens of curious students filling in around them, eyeing the paper thoughtfully. Most walked away with an article in hand, staring at the front page in wonder. Liiku felt his smile growing wider.

"I thought the Wizard's story sounded a bit fishy." Liiku heard one student say.

"Yeah, I mean, I thought Galinda was her friend now?"

"It's _Glinda_, now, silly. She changed her name."

"And remember the first day of school? How Morrible complimented her talent? The Wizard's story completely contradicts that!"

Liiku resisted the strong urge to whoop with excitement. It was working! If only this paper could reach the rest of Oz somehow . . .

He ran into Fiyero a short while later, who was also reading the paper. "This is really good," he complimented. "And it's definitely getting the other students thinking."

"It's a start, that's for sure," Liiku said with a nod. "But the rest of Oz needs to know, too."

"Just be careful," Fiyero warned. "I'm sure the Wizard's not going to take too kindly to someone challenging his authority."

"I actually enjoy the challenge," he grinned. "Keeps me on edge."

Fiyero let out a soft laugh. "Alright, just don't get yourself killed."

Liiku waved and headed off to class. Students filed in the lecture hall slowly at first, but began to flood the place the closer the minute hand crept towards the start of the class. When the bell rang, the professor marched into class with a deathly serious look on his face.

"Students," he announced in a very stern voice. All at once the lecture hall grew very quiet. "Something rather _disturbing _has caught my attention today. I am sure you have all seen today's issues of the Shiz Post, which claim the Wicked Witch is innocent of any crimes the Wizard had accused her of. I want to assure all of you, that the Wicked Witch is indeed a serious threat to every citizen of Oz and is not to be taken lightly! She is a threat to all of Oz! The Shiz Post article is nothing more than a bunch of lies!" Liiku was clutching his pencil so tightly it snapped in two. Oh, how he wanted to say something. "And I assure you, proper disciplinary actions are being taken to assure no such lies are spread again."

At this, Liiku felt his heart skip a beat. Mr. Marx left his name anonymous . . . which means that they were going to go after him! Scooping up all his books into his satchel, he burst out the door, muttering some lame excuse about needing to use the bathroom very badly.

He ran as fast as he could across the school grounds. He had to get to the Wesling building as fast as he could. He had to make sure Mr. Marx was alright. And he knew from past experience that the Gale Force were not a friendly lot.

Before he even entered the building, he knew something was wrong. Taking caution, he crept in through one of the side doors, keeping covered and out of sight The first thing he heard when he entered were angry vices, and a very terrified Mr. Marx. Liiku crept closer to the commotion.

"Who wrote the article?!" someone demanded.

"I don't know! I swear to Oz I don't know!" Mr. Marx cried out.

"You lie!!"

There was a loud smacking noise, exactly like the butt of a gun cracking over someone's skull. Liiku winced. He searched his satchel and pulled out his tape recorder. If he caught this, he could use this as evidence against the Wizard. Such abuse should never be tolerated.

"The newspaper says anonymous because it was dropped off at the door! I have no idea who wrote it!" Mr. Marx continued to plead.

"Either you tell us who wrote that damn paper or you'll be six feet under before you can say 'Lurline,' " the voice said threateningly. The loud snap of a bullet being chambered into a pistol cracked through the building. Liiku held his breath. They were just around the corner. He crept closer. Closer . . . Peering around the corner, he saw four Gale Force officers circled around Marx, each with their spears either hovering above him threateningly, or already plunged deep into his flesh. Two were sticking out of his back. Blood dripped into a large pool on the floor. Liiku bit his tongue to keep himself from gasping in horror.

Marx was on his hands and knees, looking up at the pistol in terror. His black eyes lickered over to where Liiku was hiding, and he stared at him for a split second before he turned back to the pistol.

But it was a split second too long. The guards whipped around, and saw Liiku.

_"Shit,"_ he hissed.

"Get him!" one shouted.

Liiku turned and ran as fast as he could. He hardly went three steps when he heard the pistol explode thunderously.

And a second later, he heard the heavy thump of a body slam against the tile floor.

They killed him. _They killed Marx!!_

Liiku's legs grew very weak and his knees almost gave out, but the three guards chasing after him with their cruel spears and guns forced him to keep moving. If they caught him . . . Liiku ran faster.

The Wesling building was very close to the border of the university grounds, which were surrounded by a thick forest. Desperately, Liiku dove in, racing his way over fallen logs, jumping over creeks, and even jumping across a small ravine. The guards were relentless, and they managed to get a couple shots off, just grazing his arms. One bullet nicked the side of his calf, causing him to stumble, but he immediately regained his footing and ran faster, ignoring the blood seeping from his wound.

His heart pounded in his chest and his breath was starting to come harder now, but he couldn't stop now. He had to shake them off somehow! Just as he thought this, a hand reached out and grabbed him, jerking him off to the side and dragging him, kicking and punching wildly, into a tiny little cave hidden beneath the cover of a few trees.

"Shut up, will you? It's _me_!"

Liiku stopped. He didn't even breathe, although his lungs screamed for oxygen. The hand wrapped around his mouth was emerald green, and the owner of said hand was the same color of brilliant green.

It was Elphaba!!

Liiku could hardly believe his eyes. He desperately wanted to jump up and scream with joy, but the thought of the guards and what they did to Marx silenced him. Liiku crawled deeper into the cave, pressing his back up against Elphaba. They both held their breath as they waited for the guards to pass. When they finally disappeared deeper into the forest, Elphaba let out her breath and Liiku squirmed out of her grip, only to wrap his arms around her waist and squeeze her as tightly as she could.

"Oh, Elphaba, I missed you so much! I was so worried about you!" Liiku said. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

Elphaba pushed him off, her cheeks slightly going dark. "I'm fine, Liiku. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

A million questions exploded inside of his mind, and he fumbled for the best question to ask her. Finally, in a strangled voice, he asked her, "What are you doing here?"

"I know, it's so stupid of me to be here!" she said angrily. "It's so thoughtless, careless, reckless, idiotic--!"

"Elphaba!" Liiku said, grabbing her shoulders. "Calm down. You're safe for the moment. Now tell me everything."

She let out a long breath and hesitated for a second "Well, I came back to get some of my things. I mean, I don't have any change of clothes, or any food for that matter. Not to mention it's going to get a lot colder very soon, and this flimsy little dress is absolutely useless flying . . ." She gestured to the once lovely black cotton dress she wore, which already had holes in it, and tears in the sleeves.

"Erm . . . oh, I have so many questions I don't know where to begin!" Liiku said, almost ripping out his hair in frustration. "Where have you been hiding? Have you gotten anything to eat? _What happened with the Wizard?!"_

Elphaba had only looked slightly annoyed with Liiku's questions, up until the last one he asked. She then stiffened, and her arms folded over her chest. Her eyes were filled with both immense anger and complete sadness. Liiku took notice, and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Elphaba. Please, I have to know," he said. He then pulledout his tape recorder. "Tell me _everything_."


	12. Chapter 12

Elphaba folded her arms across her chest and sat on the forest floor without meeting Liiku's gaze. Immediately, he could tell that Elphaba's story was going to be somewhat sensitive. However, it still proved to be quite difficult not to blurt out even more questions. Liiku, despite his increasing curiosity, held his tongue and waited for Elphaba to speak.

Needless to say, the suspense was killing him.

Finally, though, she spoke. "It was all a lie," were the first words out of her mouth.

"What?" Liiku said stupidly.

"The Wizard. He's not wonderful," she said through gritted teeth. Her entire body shook with rage. "He doesn't even have any real power! He was just a manipulative, power-hungry dictator!"

"Ok, ok, slow down, just start from the beginning," Liiku said.

Elphaba took a deep breath. "Well, when I got there, I met the Wizard and he wanted me to prove my worth. So he brought out this ancient spell book, the Grimmerie, and had me read a spell from it."

"Ok, Wizard had you read a spell . . ." Liiku repeated.

"It was a levitation spell," she continued. "The Wizard called for his Monkey servant. His name was Chistery . . ." Her voice broke off for a second and she paused to take another deep breath. "The Wizard told me he wanted to fly. So I read the spell. And Chistery . . ." Liiku, sensing Elphaba's pain, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She turned back to him, but her eyes were wet with tears. "He was in so much pain because of what I did to him."

"What happened to the monkey?"

"Monkey," Elphaba automatically corrected. "Chistery was a Monkey."

"Ok, what happened to the Monkey?"

"He . . . he grew wings. And . . ."

Liiku, however, was desperately trying to comprehend what she just said. "He grew _wings_?!"

"I didn't mean it!" Elphaba suddenly shouted angrily. "I didn't know what that damned spell did! And if you think that's bad, well! The Wizad is the reason why all the Animals are forgetting how to speak!"

"What?!" Liiku said. No way. Not the Wizard.

"The Wizard was using the Animals as scapegoats and blaming them for all of the bad things happening in Oz," Elphaba continued in a much quieter voice. "I was so angry . . . I ran. I took the spell book, and cast the levitation spell on a broom . . . and ran."

"But . . . are you sure?" Liiku said.

"Of course I'm sure, he even admitted it himself," Elphaba said. "Glinda tried to stop me from running. She wanted me to apologize! I'll never forgie the Wizard for what he did. _Never_."

"Now you have the whole country after you. He'll stop at nothing to kill you. Do you understand that?" Liiku said.

"I know! But if not me, then who will stand up to him?"

"I will, that's one," Liiku said. "If what you say is true . . . if the Wizard really is causing the Animals to forget how to speak . . . then I'm going to help you prove it."

Elphaba's thin lips cracked up into a faint smile. "Thank you."

"And Fiyero, Boq, and Nessa will also be more than willing to help," Liiku continued. "And since Glinda is your friend . . . well, I don't want to get excited here, but we might just be able to set up a coup!"

"You think six teenagers are going to be able to overthrow the most powerful man in Oz?" Elphaba said uncertainly.

"One is a Prince, another is the future Governess of Munchkinland, _yet another_ is the Good Witch and the Wizard's own little side-kick, and last, you got a guy who can write one hell of a newspaper article," Liiku said smugly. "I think we can influence the people just enough to cause quite a bit of unrest."

"This is dangerous," Elphaba muttered to herself. "So many things can go wrong. And how are you so sure your plan will work?"

"Because I like to think positively," Liiku said.

"We're going to need a little bit more than your positive attitude to get me out of this one," Elphaba mumbled bitterly.

"And all you need to do is lay low and just keep out of sight. You let me handle the rest," Liiku said. "Don't worry, I'm not going to let you down. But right now, we need to get you some supplies. I'm sure we can break into your dorm and get your clothes, and I'll gather up some stuff from the cafeteria for you. But where are you planning to go now?"

"I have no idea," Elphaba said worriedly. "I can't go home, and I can't stay here."

"I'll ask the others if they can think of any hiding places for you," Liiku said. "But where have you been hiding the last few days?"

"Anywhere I could, honestly," Elphaba said. "I was able to find an abandoned shack to sleep in one night."

"I hate to say it, but until we think of something else, that might be the best place for the time being," he said hesitantly.

Elphaba bit her lip, but nodded. "I want to speak to my sister," she said quietly.

"Tonight, then. I'll help her sneak out of her dorm and we'll meet in the commons."

"How about I just fly up to her window and you tell her to keep her window open tonight?" Elphaba said with a twisted grin.

"You always make everything so complicated," Liiku whined sarcastically. "Speaking of flying, why in the hell a _broom_, of all things?"

"I was in a hurry," Elphaba said quickly, cheeks turning slightly darker.

He laughed a little, and once again placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's great to see you again and to know you're alright. I'll talk to your sister and you can see her tonight."

Elphaba embraced him. "I can't thank you enough."

"You don't need to."

"Although I do have one question."

"Shoot."

"Why were the guards after you?"

_Marx._

Like a painful bolt of lightning the memorycame flashing back to him. He had almost entirely forgot in his euphoria of seeing Elphaba again.

"I wrote an article in the Shiz Post saying that you were innocent. And that the Wizard was wrong," he began in a shaky voice. The image of Marx, being beaten and bloodied, filled his thoughts. _Blood. So much blood._ He forced himself to continue. "Marx published it anonymous so I wouldn't get in trouble. And the guards . . . the guards killed Marx because he refused to give me away."

Elphaba's hands flew to her mouth. "Liiku . . ." she whispered. She then shook her head vigorously, her black hair flinging across her face. "No . . . no, I'm not going to let you help me, then!"

"Why not?" he said hotly.

"You're going to get killed!" Elphab cried. "If Marx was killed just for publishing something--!"

"I'm not going to let that stop me," Liiku said. His voice was very calm and even, which surprised even himself. "I'm not going to let the Wizard get away with this."

"If you try to help me, you'll be arrested or even killed!"

"I for one am willing to take that risk."

"Then you are a fool."

"Elphaba, how can you expect me to just stand aside and let the Wizard get away with this? I won't allow it. I'm going to help you out whether you like it or not," Liiku declared firmly. "I'm going to tell your sister you'll visit her tonight. And in the meantime, I'll gather you up some supplies."

"Liiku, don't do this! I don't want you getting killed!" Elphaba begged.

"You worry about yourself," Liiku replied. "I can watch my own back." He turned on his heel and quickly walked out of the forest and back to Shiz. In the meantime his head was blazing with thoughts. He knew Elphaba was telling the truth . . . but it was too horrible to believe. How could they have all been decieved? He was furious with himself as well. How could he have not seen it before? Well, how could he? He had no reason to believe so, until now.

But now, he was going to take that bastard down.

* * *

He found Nessa a few minutes later sitting in a coffee shop with Boq, still downheartened about her sister. Liiku cracked a small smile. His news would surely cheer her up.

"Nessa! Glad I found you, I have something important to tell you!" Liiku said, pulling up a chair next to the two.

"What?" Nessa said in a depressed tone. Yep, still upset.

"I just spoke with Elphaba!" Liiku said in a hushed voice.

_"What?!"_ Boq and Nessa cried in hoarse whispers.

"I ran into her after I went over to the Wesling Building," Liiku explained quietly. "It was by complete chance, and she wants to talk to you tonight, Nessa."

"Well, thank God for that!" Nessa shouted, now angry. "What in the world was she doing?! What was she thinking?!"

"Hey, settle down, I'm sure she'll explain everything to you," Liiku said. "She told me everything, and I'll tell you; she is innocent! The Wizard is causing the Animals to forget how to speak, and he even tortured some!"

Nessa's eyes went wide. "I don't believe it . . ."

"You better," Liiku said. "You didn't see her face when she told me what happened. No way she was lying. I can tell if someone was lying to me, and she definitely wasn't."

"What do we do?" Boq said suddenly.

"She needs food and some thicker clothing for the upcoming winter months," Liiku said immediately. "I can probably break into her old dorm and get her stuff."

"No you won't!" Nessa said. "Not if you want to get kicked out! I'll go; I have a good explanation."

"Then I'll help." Liiku said simply.

* * *

Nessa couldn't fall asleep that night. She was too anxious with her upcoming meeting with dear sister Fabala. But would she really come? Elphaba had always kept her promises and she had never let her down . . . Nervously, she wheeled herself back and forth to take her mind off of things.

But sure enough, just after midnight, she hear a soft thump just outside of her window. Spinning around quickly, she turned just in time to see Elphaba step through the open window and into the room.

"Elphaba!" Nessa said, hardly believing she had actually come. Elphaba didn't say anything at first. She just flung herself at her and wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh, Nessa, I'm so sorry," Elphaba said. "I didn't want to abandon you like this, but now I have no choice."

"What happened?" Nessa demanded. "I mean, Liiku told me that you were innocent, but I want to hear the whole story myself."

Elphaba nodded. "I understand you must be angry for what I've done. But believe me, I didn't want this to happen." Elphaba then told Nessarose everything that happened, taking more care to tell her the full story, a more in depth one than the story she told Liiku. Nessa listened intently, and ddn't interrupt her until she finished.

"Why didn't you just try to apologize for acting rashly?" was the first thing Nessa asked her.

"I tried, but already the Wizard called on his guards to arrest me on sight," Elphaba said quietly. "When they found me, they were ready to send me straight to Southstair." Just saying the name of the most infamous prison in Oz sent shivers down Elphaba's spine. "I was so scared. All I could think about to do at the time was to run."

"Now what?" Nessa challenged. "What do you plan to do now?"

"I'm going to stop the Wizard," Elphaba said firmly. "I'm not going to let him continue this cruelty against the Animals!"

Nessa thought for a moment, nodding very slowly. "Elphaba . . . if you really believe the Wizard is doing something wrong . . . then I'll help you. I'll even tell Father. If I convince him, then he'll surely help you."

Elphaba smiled. "Oh, thank you so much for your help!"

"And I brought you a bag of things for you," Nessa said, pulling out a large duffel bag. "I packed up your warmest clothes and a jacket, and even your favorite pair of boots. And also, lots of canned food."

"Wonderful. Because you know how much I love canned goods," Elphaba said sarcastically, earning a laugh from her sister.

"Elphaba, be careful," Nessa said, taking her emerald hand. "And if you want, you can sleep here tonight."

"Not going to risk it," Elphaba said. "I have found a temporary shelter that will do for now. But I am planning to find some Animals, and maybe I can take refuge there."

Nessa nodded in understandment. "Good luck, sister."

Elphaba nodded, and leapt out the window into the darkness of night.


	13. Chapter 13

**FIVE YEARS LATER**

The ticking of an old, worn typewriter was all the sound that filled the still and stale air of the shanty apartment. A man sat straight and still before it, the only movement throughout his entire body coming from his thin dexterous fingers flying over the keyboard. Restlessly he worked into the wan hours of early morning.

Much had happened after his first encounter with Elphaba in that forest just outside Wesling building. But after that, he had never seen her in person again. Fiyero was furious beyond words that he never had a chance to talk to her before she vanished, something Liiku was secretly glad for. A few weeks later, Elphaba had found an Animal encampment where they graciously took her in, and a Sparrow served as a messenger between him and her. It was the only way they could talk to one another safely. Their letters were always written in code Liiku had invented himself to ensure that if the letters ever did get into the wrong hands, no one could decipher them very easily.

And Elphaba had indeed done much for the Animals. She freed several dozen from the Wizard's encampments, and even went out of her way to do a few good things for Oz: putting out the forest fire in Quox, saving a family from a burning building . . . But for every good thing Elphaba did, the Wizard twisted and warped to make it seem that Elphaba was the one who caused the disasters in the first place.

And there were also the never-ending list of things Elphaba was accused of but never did, including murder. Several, in fact. It sickened Liiku that the Wizard would kill innocent people, all for the sake of assuring the Ozians Elphaba was evil.

As for Liiku, he had graduated Shiz with flying colors, and to his very own amazement he was able to elude the guards who had murder Mr. Marx. Fiyero had graduated as well, and was almost immediately sent to the Gale Force to begin his training, which was all part of their plan to help Elphaba. But unfortunately, they were never able to contact Glinda. They had hoped once Fiyero had gotten into the Gale Force, he'd be able to see her, but new recruits rarely got such an honor to personally see such a high-statused person. All they could tell from the press conferences and newspaper was that Glinda was training with Madame Morrible to improve her magic, and was basically just a showy figurine to show off to the people. She, with all her beauty, grace and elegance, served as the symbol of hope for the people. Liiku wasn't fooled. Glinda was nothing more than the Wizard's puppet. How he hated her for that.

Nessa's father, Frex, died shortly after Elphaba was pronounced the Wicked Witch. He had caught a deadly virus days before Elphaba even went to see the Wizard. He died just the day after Nessa had talked to Elphaba. Nessa was destroyed, but now, she was the Governess of Munchkinland. Liiku, though sorry for her loss, saw this as an indispensable opportunity. With her new power, she could help influence the people to support, rather than hunt down, Elphaba. Nessa refused to cooperate for a few weeks, still wracked with grief from losing her father.

Liiku wished he could say that he understood how she felt, but all that he felt was annoyance that Nessa would rather bawl her eyes out than help her sister.

Boq, much to the surprise of everyone, offered to go with Nessarose to Munchkinland and help her. "It's not going to be easy governing an entire province alone," he had said. "And I want to help you."

Nessa was speechless, and insisted that Boq didn't have to help her.

"I know," was all he said, and the next thing Liiku knew, both were off back to Munchkinland.

Liiku never stopped writing. He managed to print out his own underground newspaper, only a few pages long, using the abandoned printing machine in the Wesling building. After much trial and error, and too many close encounters to count, Liiku perfected the art of printing and secretly distributed his paper out to the students at Shiz. Cleverly so, he called his paper _The Green Post. _His work did not go unnoticed. Once graduated, he was able to land a job at the Emerald City Post for his excellent writing, but was of course, for the time being, forbidden to write anything pro-Wicked Witch.

His employer, Mr. Kaerson, believed his stories about Elphaba being innocent, but had urged Liiku to use discretion.

"Now is not the best time to claim the Witch innocent," he told him. "But I will inform you when the time is right. You will know, as well. Listen to the streets. When the people have calmed, and people are at peace, that will be the time."

Liiku, though skeptical, obliged. Now he was writing up the latest results from a court trial. Not his cup of tea, but if it put bread on the table, that was just fine with him.

And after that was out of the way, he still needed to write up something for Nessa. She was giving a speech in a few days and she had asked for his help writing it up. The Munchkinlanders were near rioting over food shortages (and of course everyone was blaming Elphaba for the droughts, the bastards). Nessarose had prepared the plans necessary for the upcoming months, but it would still prove difficult to calm the people down.

He paused momentarily to flex his fingers, and they cracked sickeningly. Rolling his neck, also cracking in the same retching fashion, he rubbed his tired eyes. The clock above him chimed three thirty in the morning. He really needed to stop pulling all these late nighters.

Wrapping up the final paragraph of his news article, he slumped into bed, not even bothering to change out of his clothes.

* * *

Despite going to bed at a ridiculous hour, Liiku still popped out of bed at precisely six thirty and headed off to work, with his article secured within a folder, which was carefully tucked into his satchel. Along the walk he pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, deeply inhaling the toxic smoke. It was a dirty habit, one he picked up after witnessing Marx's grisly murder, but it was the only thing that seemed to help calm his agitated nerves.

He took several long and deep drags from his cigarette before he went inside the modest six story building that was the headquarters of the Emerald City Post. Flicking the butt into a garbage can, he entered through the glass revolving doors and marched right past the front desk with a casual greeting towards the secretaries.

"Mr. Kaerson is expecting you o the third floor," one called out to him.

"Oh, I bet he is," he said nicely. But first things first; he needed a damn cup of coffee right now.

Almost as if reading his mind, the other secretary handed him a small cup of freshly brewed coffee. Black. Liiku sipped it slowly and thanked her.

He took his time ascending the metal staircases to the third floor, sipping his coffee nonstop all the way. Mr. Kaerson was already waiting for him on the top of the stairs. Ditching the finished cup into a nearby garbage, he shook his boss's hand.

"Have you been smoking again? You reek," Mr. Kaerson said.

Liiku laughed quietly. "Yes, sir. Just can't break the habit."

"Well those things are going to be the death of you."

"Not if the Gale Force gets to me first," Liiku joked.

Mr. Kaerson shot him a concerned look. "I hope you've been behaving."

"Of course."

"I'm serious."

"I know you are."

"You're a damn good reporter, but by God, if I have to bail you out of jail again--"

"Give me a bit of credit here. I'm not stupid enough to do that again."

"Well I hope so, for your sake," Mr. Kaerson said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Any word from your friend yet?"

"None," Liiku said, handing him the article. "But I finished that court case you wanted me to do."

"Ah, thank you," Mr. Kaerson said. He looked it over quickly with a faint twinkle of amusement in his eye. "Your writing skills never cease to amaze me."

"Sir, I beg you to stop. You're making me blush," Liiku retorted jokingly.

"What will be your next project?" Mr. Kaerson asked, pretending not to hear Liiku's remark.

"Hopefully something concerning Elphaba," he replied seriously.

Mr. Kaerson froze for a moment, and stroked his chin thoughtfully. His eyes squinted shut in that familiar fashion of deep thinking. Liiku waited patiently for his answer.

"I'm not so sure that is a good idea at the time," he finally said. "I know you want to help your friend, I really do, but we have to wait for the opportune moment."

"And when will that be?" Liiku challenged.

"You'll know when it is time, trust me. You have to be patient."

Liiku clenched his fists. "You know dam well why I can't just keep waiting around! The Guards are chasing her and sooner or later they will find her! We have to act soon!"

"Your friend Fiyero has recently been promoted to Captain, so he is now leading the charge," Mr. Kaerson reminded him. "And we know for a fact he'll do a fine job at leading the Force on wild goose chases."

"But we can't keep _waiting_."

"You _will _be patient if you truly care for your friend's well-being," Mr. Kaerson said sharply. "Telling the people the truth at the wrong time will only backfire."

Liiku sighed loudly. "Fine. I'll wait. But I won't wait forever," he said. He turned to go. "I have to help Nessarose prepare her speech, anyway."

"Good luck. And keep your neck out of trouble."

Liiku nodded and headed out the door, not knowing that ignoring Mr. Kaerson's advice would lead to disaster.

* * *

"Liiku! So glad you could make it!" Nessa said warmly as Liiku arrived at the Governess's mansion. He shook her hand and bent over to kiss her cheek in greeting, and proceeded to shake Boq's hand.

"I see the two of you are holding up fairly well," Liiku noted. Nessa, despite being crippled, still looked very healthy and lively. Boq, too. They had faced several hardships together but through persistence and teamwork, they were able to overcome. But the difficulties of governing a panicked mass proved to be quite challenging and draining for the poor girl. Still, she was relentless.

"Yes, we are, but as you know, we need your professional advice," Boq said.

"Of course," Liiku said casually, sitting down in a nearby chair. Boq did likewise, and Nessa positioned herself so she was facing the two gentlemen.

"I have all the details for our plan about the food shortages, but as you know, I'm not much of a public speaker," Nessa said, blushing slightly with embarrassment.

"You just gotta be confident when you go up to give your speech," Liiku said simply. "And as for the speech itself, it has to be powerful, firm. Awe-inspiring!"

"Easier said than done," Nessa said matter-of-factly.

"That's the fun part!" Liiku said excitedly. "I love a good challenge like this! Making the perfect speech to really move and inspire the people! We need something big. Bold. _Daring_."

"Like what?" a fourth voice said coolly from the shadows.

Liiku and Boq jumped to their feet, while Nessa gave a small squeal of fright. And from the shadows stepped out a tall, thin woman dressed all in black, with her equally dark hair pinned up into a bun on her pointed, lean face.

It was Elphaba.

"Sister!" Nessa cried out joyously.

Liiku ran as fast as he could over to her and grabbed her fiercely in a tight bear hug, sweeping her off her feet. "You're alright!" he cried. "Thank god! I was so worried about you!"

"Hello, Liiku," she laughed.

"God, it is so good to see you again!" he said, putting her down. His heart was thundering in his chest with excitement and absolute joy.

"And it's good to see you, too," she said, then cocked an eyebrow slyly. "And is it true you got thrown in jail already?"

"It was nothing," he shrugged.

"You instigated a riot," Boq said.

"I would hardly call only a hundred people a riot," Liiku said.

"But what are you doing here?" Boq said. "You could be spotted!"

"Not unless you give me away," Elphaba said in a low voice. "The servants are all asleep, no one will know I'm here."

"It's very good to see you are doing alright, sister," Nessa said, wheeling up to her. "But Boq does have a very good question; what exactly are you doing here? And to show up in person, too!"

"I know it's dangerous and risky, but I had to show up in person!" Elphaba said with a big smile. "Because I found a spell just for you, Nessa!"

"Me?" Nessa asked weakly.

"I haven't been able to help you at all in the last few years," Elphaba said. "And I felt terrible for abandoning you."

"Fabala, you know I can never blame you for running," she said sympathetically.

"But now I want to do something for you in turn!" Elphaba continued. From the book bag draped around her shoulder, she pulled out the Grimmerie and laid it on the floor. She got to her knees and flipped through the pages until she reached a particular page, filled with strange symbols and tribal-looking drawings. "Nessa, this may hurt a little."

"What are you going to do?" she cried out worriedly.

"Elphaba, what are you doing?" Liiku asked, starting to grow worried himself.

But Elphaba paid him no attention. She began to read the words on the page, first softly as a whisper, but gradually growing in volume. The foreign words flew off her tongue, and she waved her hands in circles around the pages. Her emerald hands glowed a soft pale light, and Liiku could almost feel the magic illuminating from her body.

Nessa cried out suddenly and pulled up her skirt to reveal the silver slippers she had recieved as a gif tfrom her father all those years ago. "My feet!" she cried. "They feel like they're on fire!" Then, the shoes themselves began to glow with a bright crimson aurora.

"Elphaba! Stop!" Liiku said. But she didn't. She only continued her endless chant, with her hands moving faster and faster in circles over the pages. Finally she stopped, the words dying off her lips instantly, and she reached for her sister.

What happened next, Liiku could not believe. Nessa gasped, and her torso jerked forward, almost as if pulled by some invisible string. Her left foot stepped off the footrest of the wheelchair and onto the floor, and the right quickly followed after it. Liiku's and Boq's jaws were both hanging wide open, hardly believing what they were witnessing. Nessa pushed herself off of her wheelchair, and for the first time in her entire life, she stood up straight and tall on her own two feet.

Nessa gasped in amazement, but when she tried to step forward, she clumsily fell over herself and crashed to the ground. All three of them rushed to her side, but Nessa pushed them away.

"No . . . no . . . don't help me," she choked out. She was crying and her pretty little mouth was shaped into the biggest grin Liiku had ever seen. Just like a newborn fawn, Nessa pushed herself back up to her feet, and even managed to walk around a bit. Liiku and Boq both slowly rose to their feet, although Liiku didn't quite trust his legs to support himself anymore. Elphaba gathered up the Grimmerie and rose to her feet, fresh tears in her own eyes.

"Oh, Elphaba! Thank you!" Nessa cried, flinging herself into her sister's arms. "Thank you so much! I can't possibly tell you how happy I am you did this for me!"

Elphaba wiped away her tears and stroked her sister's hair. "Finally, I did something _good_."

Boq approached Nessa, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nessa . . . I don't believe this! It's a miracle!"

"It is, Boq! I can finally walk!" Nessa said. Perhaps out of sheer euphoria, or perhaps because of long forgotten feelings, they both leaned in and kissed one another, surprising one another, and especially themselves. Boq turned away shyly and blushed furiously, but his smile betrayed his true feelings.

"Um, Nessa?" Boq said weakly.

"Yes?"

"There's something . . . something that I've wanted to tell you for a long time."

"Yes?" Nessa asked eagerly.

"I . . . I think I love you," Boq blurted out. "Marry me?"

"What?!" Liiku gasped.

"Are you serious?" Nessa said. Her knees nearly gave out beneath her, but Boq's grip prevented her from falling.

"I think I am," Boq said. His face was as red as Nessa's newly-turned ruby slippers.

"Wait, wait, wait, where did this come from?!" Liiku stuttered. This was the first time in five years he could remember being at total loss for words. The first time, of course, being when Glinda had danced with Elphaba.

Boq grinned shyly. "I think I always kind of loved her."

"Then I accept," Nessa said.

Elphaba hugged Boq. "I'm so happy for the two of you!"

"Oh sweet Oz, what a world we live in," Liiku said in disbelief.

"Love's a very funny thing, isn't it?" Elphaba laughed.

"Indeed it is." Then, Liiku was struck with a brilliant idea. "Nessa! This is perfect!"

"I know! We were meant to be together, I knew it from the start!" she said excitedly.

"Not _that_," he said. "Your speech! In the middle of your speech you can tell all of Munchkinland that it was because of your sister that you are able to walk! It's undeniable proof that Elphaba isn't wicked!"

"Brilliant!" Boq said.

"Will it work?" Nessa asked worriedly.

"Of course it will!" Liiku said. "Now, I'm going to write up that speech for you! It's going to be great!" He turned around to Elphaba. "Don't you worry! This is the turning point! After this, no one can deny that you aren't at the very least capable of doing good!"

"Thank you so much, Liiku," she smiled. "I really appreciate everything you're doing for me."

"And thank you for fighting the Wizard," he said with a grin. "Now, let's get to work!"


	14. Chapter 14

The four of them began going to work immediately, Liiku the most eager of all of them. Nessa was squeezing Boq's hand affectionately, and Elphaba couldn't possibly look any happier. It was all going to work out for them, Liiku could feel it. This was the moment he had been waiting five years for!

Nessa, who was overjoyed with her new-found ability, kept pacing around the room, too anxious to sit down. But eventually she tired and took a seat right next to Boq, snuggling up to him warmly. Liiku had to laugh at the sight. Really, where had all this come from?

"Hey, you guys want any tea or coffee?" Liiku asked mid-way through preparing the speech.

Nessa exchanged looks with her sister. "A small cup of tea wouldn't hurt."

"Alright, I'm going to go make myself some coffee. Want to help me out, Boq?" Liiku asked.

"Um, sure," he replied uncertainly. He followed Liiku into the kitchen. Instead of reaching for a few pots to start making tea, he turned around sharply, arms folded over his chest and leaning against the table.

"Ok, I know we haven't been in contact very much, but seriously. What the hell?" Liiku asked. "Five years ago you didn't give a rat's ass about her."

"That's not true," Boq said defensively. "I always liked her."

"And I thought you loved Glinda," he reminded the Munchkin.

"I thought I did," Boq said. "But you were right. It was all so shallow . . . I never had any true feelings for her. It was nothing more than a school boy crush that eventually faded."

"Still . . . you to just go out and ask her to _marry_ you?"

At this, Boq broke out into a small, giddy smile. "I know, but it's just that . . . these last five years have really been eye-opening. I realized that Nessa is a very intelligent and strong woman when she decides to be. And also remarkably sensitive at times, as well." He laughed as he reflected upon a distant memory. "We would argue about the silliest things. Once I got into a fight about poetry with her. I said that Roe was the greatest poet in the 18th century, but Nessa argued that Yullter was better. We fought for what must have been hours. The day after, all we could do was laugh about it. But yes. Slowly but surely . . . I figured out that I loved her."

"You are a very strange little man," Liiku observed quietly, although he couldn't keep himself from smiling. He clapped him on the shoulder. "But if this is what you want, then I'm happy for you. Now let's make some tea before the ladies get antsy."

A few moments later, the boys emerged from the kitchen with tea for everyone. Liiku poured everyone a cup before pouring some for himself. There was a brief comfortable silence as everyone sipped their hot beverage.

"Not as good as black coffee, but not bad, either," Liiku commented.

Nessa wrinkled her nose. "Black coffee is vile."

He snickered. "Well, ladies, after our little tea party is done with, what do you say we rehearse the speech?"

"Again?" Nessa sighed. "I thought we had it down pretty good."

"I just want to make sure you're ready," Liiku said.

"Of course I'm ready. Look at my hands! They're shaking with excitement!" Nessa said, holding out her hand. Indeed, it was shaking slightly, and she giggled nervously. "I can't wait to give the speech!"

"And I'll be there to cover the entire thing," Liiku said. "I'm going to make this national news! Everyone in Oz will know about the Witch's not-so-Wicked deed!"

"I can hardly wait," Elphaba said. "Although I do wonder how Fiyero and Glinda are fairing. It's been so long since I've seen the two of them."

"I have heard only good things about Master Tiggular and Lady Glinda, you have nothing to worry about," Boq reassured. "Fiyero has been recently promoted to Captain and Glinda's as popular as always."

"Still, I wish I could see them in person," Elphaba said longingly.

"I'm sure you'll see them soon enough. I might be able to arrange a meeting for you," Liiku said. "But right now, let's focus at the task at hand. Nessa's speech is tomorrow, and I want to make sure everything will go perfectly."

* * *

Today was the big day. Liiku couldn't remember the last time he had been this excited. Nessa would give her speech and show the Ozians undeniable proof of Elphaba's good deeds.

Today, the Wicked Witch will be no more.

He made sure he had everything in hand; camera, tape recorder, pens and notepads. He was also dressed for the occasion; a nice button-down shirt and dress pants. Didn't cost him too much at the local discount store, lucky for him, with taxes and rent sucking the life out of his paychecks.

He surveyed the crowd. A very large percentage of the surrounding villages were attending, men and women and even children were gathered to listen to Nessarose's proclamation. Most had stern looks on their faces, some had their hands clenched so tightly their knuckles were turning white, and some just looked bored out of their mind. And the speech hadn't even started yet.

Elphaba was here, as well, hidden carefully. She wanted to see Nessa's speech for herself, and of course took every single necessary precaution to not be spotted. Liiku didn't even know where she was, which was agood thing. If he couldn't spot her, a casual passerby wouldn't, either. She was safe within the shadows, wherever she was.

Finally, the time came. Boq wheeled Nessa center stage, and there was a very scattered applause as she entered. Even that sound strained and forced. Boq and Nessa shared brilliant smiles, and parted, leaving Nessa seated before a small podium with her papers lying before her. She squirmed in her seat with nervousness and excitement.

_Not until the middle, not until the middle,_ Liiku thought to himself. She couldn't reveal her big surprise. Not yet.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Munchkinland," Nessa stated loudly and proudly. Her voice was strong and confident. _Perfect,_ Liiku thought to himself. "I have witnessed through the years your struggles through this great drought, and I, with the assistance of my lovely associate, Boq Riddle, have developed a plan in preparations for the upcoming months. There will be enough food for everyone, if we all pitch in and distribute evenly throughout the entire land. Sacrifices must be made to better our situation, and I am ready to make those sacrifices. I have requested a large shipment of food from the Emerald City itself, and the Wizard has personally approved it. We will be receiving food rations for everyone long enough to last three months! In the meantime, those with surpluses of food, I beg you to be charitable and donate to those most in need!"

"It's the Witch's fault we're in this state!" an angry pesant cried suddenly. "She caused this plague upon us! _She did_!!"

Other people began to join in, ready to point the finger at the Witch for all their problems.

"She burned down my farm!"

"She stole my cattle!"

"She lit the forest on fire!"

Nessa saw the crowds were getting out of control, and desperately tried to calm them down. "There is no need to blame the Witch! I know she is a threat to Oz, but what good will blaming her do? What good will it do your family and your children if you simply stood there and pointed fingers? I know you want justice, and I assure you, our wonderful Wizard is doing everything he can to bring justice, but for now, we must focus on the issue at hand! We must organize the towns to prepare for the rations!"

Slowly, the crowds settled, much to the relief of Liiku. He hardly paid attention to the rest of the speech as he waited for the main event. In the mean time, he tried to find Elphaba, but she could have been anywhere, in the trees, on a rooftop, hidden in the alleys . . . and the more she stayed hidden, the better.

"And now that we have reached an agreeable solution tothe food shortage dilemma, I would like to take this moment to address a more pressing issue," Nessa said. Liiku immediately snapped to attention. This was it. Liiku could hear his heart thunder in his chest.

"I would like to take this moment to talk about the Wicked Witch. But . . . is she really so wicked?" There was a loud rumble of agreement, but Nessa continued, raising her voice to be heard over the crowds. "I think not! For I have personally seen her and the good deeds she is capable of doing! Citizens, the Witch is not evil, but is good! She is capable of doing good things! We must cast aside our fear and prejudice and open our arms to her, for if we let her, she will do great and wonderful things for us!"

"You lie!" a peasant screamed.

"She's evil!"

"She will never do any good for any of us!"

At this, Nessa arrowed her gaze. "So, you think she is evil and will never do any good? Well, I can prove otherwise!" With that, she pushed herself off of her chair and walked proudly around the podium, standing straight and tall for all to see. "Witness the good the Witch is capable of! I was crippled since the day I was born, but Elphaba, the Witch, has given me the power to walk! She did this out of the kindness in her heart! She did this because she wanted to help me! Don't you see? She is not evil!"

The crowds went nuts. Some were staring in awe with their jaws wide open, many women screamed in shock to see Nessa walk. But quickly, their shock turned to outrage.

"It's a trick! A scandal! The Witch is only helping her to trick us all!" one cried.

"No trick! I can prove it to you! She can help us all! Just give her a chance!" Nessa said quickly. But the crowds would hear none of it. They steadfastly believed it was nothing more than a clever trick to turn them against their wonderful Wizard. And Liiku sensed a riot was about to break out soon. Pushing through the crowds, he leapt onto stage and grabbed Nessa's arm.

"Get out of here! Now!" Liiku hissed in her ear. Suddenly, something hard and sharp hit him in the back of the skull. Turning around, he saw that some of the people were gathering stones.

_Shit,_ he thought. He shoved Nessa off the stage, keeping his body between her and them. He was further pelted by rocks, but he kept running. Boq was right behind them, reaching for Nessa's hand as he raced along besides them.

"We have to get out of here!" Boq said. But there was no chance for escape; the mob was right behind them.

Nessa tripped over her own feet, crashing face-first into the ground. Liiku turned, and tried to pull her back to her feet.

Everything that happened next seemed to pass in slow motion. A man in the riot grabbed a pitchfork that was leaning against the side of a house, never breaking stride. He raised it high into the air, ready to strike Nessa with it. Boq saw the man, and dove in front of her, shielding her with his own body.

A blood-curdling scream ripped through the town square, long and loud and full of pain.

Boq collapsed to the ground, his chest gorged by the pitchfork. Blood pooled around him, flowing from between his fingers that clutched his wound. Nessa screamed, too, and grabbed Boq, sobbing hysterically.

The man raised the bloodied pitchfork to strike again, but froze. He then screamed, and took off running, as well as the rest of the riot. They were screaming in fear, repeating "Witch!! Witch!!" over and over again.

Elphaba was standing behind them, coming out of hiding to save them. But it was too late for Boq. He was still alive, but barely. His breath came in wheezing gasps, blood poured from his mouth, and his hands were twitching like mad.

"Please! Save him!" Nessa screamed. "Don't let him die!! Oh, God, please don't let him die!!"

Elphaba already had the Grimmerie out and was flipping through it as fast as she could. Her green skin was pale and ashen with fear. "Please, let there be something . . ." she whispered. Finally, she stopped, and placed the book on the ground, and began to chant.

She placed her hands over Boq's wounds, her steady stream of words never faltering. Nessa and Liiku could only sit there and watch, with Nessa clutching Boq's bleeding body in her tiny hands. After a good long moment, Elphaba finally stopped her chant, and pulled her hands away from Boq. His wounds turned a strange silver color, and began to glow.

The silver color spread across Boq's entire body, and Elphaba, Nessa, and Liiku jumped away, watching. The silver substance covered every inch of Boq's skin, and once it completely covered him, it began to glow brightly. Liiku shielded his eyes from the blinding light. As he did so, he heard a very strange, and chilling, cracking sound, like metal cracking and twisting and grinding. Cautiously, he peered at Boq, but the light was still too intense to make anything out. Yet the strange noise continued, growing louder and louder.

"What's happening to him?" Nessa cried.

"I--I don't know," Elphaba admitted. "He was stabbed through the heart, so I cast a spell over him that would allow him to live without one."

_Live without a heart . . ._ what on earth did that mean?

Finally, the noise stopped, and the light vanished. And laying right where Boq had once been . . . was a man, made entirely out of tin.

Nessa screamed. _"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?!?!"_

Elphaba was at loss for words. She could only stare at him, dumbstruck, for minutes until she finally found her tongue. "I . . . I . . . no! This wasn't supposed to happen!" she said weakly._ "This wasn't supposed to happen!!!"_

Liiku kneeled next to his old friend, now nothing more than a machine. "Oh, God, Boq . . . I'm sorry . . ." he said in a low voice.

He opened his eyes slowly, and Nessa shrieked again. Boq snapped upright, but Liiku pushed him back onto the ground. _How am I going to tell him?!_

"Boq, listen to me," he said slowly. "Try not to move for a second. Are you alright?"

Boq screwed up his eyes. "I . . . feel . . . cold . . ." he said in a very stiff voice. He looked up at Liiku, confused. "Why . . . does my voice . . . sound funny . . .?"

His voice did, in fact, sound very different than his normal voice. It was cold and metallic, as if his voice was mixed with the sound of a mallet banging on a metal pipe.

"Look . . . you remember what happened, right? That guy tried to hurt Nessa, and you saved her life, right?" Liiku said.

"Yeah . . . and then, everything hurt . . . I felt . . . something cold . . ." he said.

"That must have been Elphaba's spell," he said.

"El-fffff-aba?" he stuttered. "She . . . is here?"

"She saved your life," Liiku said. "She cast a spell on you."

Boq's eyes suddenly went wide. "What spell? Is that why I feel . . . cold?"

"Yes, unfortunately, it is," he said calmly. "She did her best, but the spell didn't work how we wanted it to. She wanted to make you live without a heart. Boq, I'm so sorry. But . . . well, go ahead and look at yourself."

Boq slowly lifted his hand to his face, and gaped at it. He jumped to his feet, scanning his new tin body, his expression one of horror. "What . . . what happened?!" he cried. "What did you do?!"

"I'm so sorry, Boq," Elphaba said. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

Boq glared at her, shaking furiously. "You did this to me," he said menacingly. "Why?! Why couldn't you have just let me die?!"

"I didn't want you to die!" Nessa said. She came up to his side, and placed a hand on his arm. "I still love you, Boq. Please, I couldn't let you die. Not like this."

Boq looked back and forth between Elphaba and Nessa, unsure whether or not to scream, cry, or just collapse to the ground in grief. Nessa stroked the side of his face, her eyes wet with tears, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I swear, Boq, I will find som way to fix this," Elphaba said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Boq couldn't say anything. He, too, was weeping with grief.

From a distance, Liiku watched it all. His friend had been turned into tin . . . all because Nessa tried to prove the people that Elphaba was good.

This was all his fault. His idea, his plan.

His fault that now his friend was cursed.


	15. Chapter 15

**MUNCHKINLAND IN PERIL!**

_After what was supposed to be a brief and informative meeting discussing the course of actions to take place in response to the food shortages in Munchkinland, many were struck with fear after witnessing the nightmare of a lifetime._

_The Wicked Witch herself appeared in person at the scene, wreaking havoc and injuring dozens of civilians in her reign of endless terror._

_It all began when the Governess of Munchkinland herself, Miss Nessarose Melena Thropp, announced to the people in the middle of her speech that the Witch was not wicked at all. Nessa, who was born handicapped, claimed the Witch cured her disability and gave her the power to walk. Thropp then proceeded to stand in front of the entire crowd and walked around the stage, showing off her new power. The citizens rioted, knowing full well this clever display to be nothing more than a trick for the Witch to gain power._

_"We knew it had to be a trick," Brown, a local Munchkin, stated. "Maybe the Witch really did cure her, but it was obviously a trap! Th Witch is evil! She must have been using our fair Governess for her own evil plans."_

_Nessarose was not brought under any charges under the assumption that she was under the Witch's control, but she has been permanently removed from office. A local Emerald City official, District Secretary Shelmon Prott, will be replacing her._

_And if this is all not terrifying as is, the Wicked Witch has unleashed her full power by placing a horrible curse on none other than Nessarose's loyal supporter, Boq Riddle. The native Munchkin had been transformed into a man completely made of tin. He is the latest victim of the Witch's unparalleled fury. _

_Boq has declined an interview or a statement about his condition._

Kaerson put down the paper slowly. His hands were shaking furiously.

"What do you have to say for yourself?!" he said in a harsh whisper. "This was all your brilliant idea, Mr. Thriggs!"

Liiku was silent for a moment. "What do you want me to say? I thought this would help Elphaba. But I was wrong. I fucked up. Ok?"

"No, it is not ok!" Kaerson said. "Because of you, the entire country is in a frenzy! Your friend is a damned robot, Nessa is out of office, and Elphaba is in more danger now than ever! I told you to wait! I told you to be patient! Because you wouldn't fucking listen to me, all this happened! Your fault, and your fault alone!"

Liiku jumped to his feet. "At least I god damn did something!"

"You fucked over your best friends, that's what you did!" Kaerson roared. _"You fucked them over!" _He stopped, wheezing in between his tightly clenched teeth. He turned around, gripping his hair an almost pulling out a good handful of it. "You're off the press!"

"What?!" Liiku shouted.

"I'm suspending you for three months! An I am forbidding you to write anything! Do you understand?! Not a thing, not a paper, not a damned _Lost Puppy_ sign. Don't write shit. Unless you want to have whatever friends you have left to turn into robots, too. Now get the hell out of here before I decide to fire you."

Liiku stood angrily, and left without another word.

* * *

As soon as he was out of the blasted building, he pulled out a cigarette and began to chew on the end of it. He dug for a match and lit it up, taking the first deep breath of the intoxicating fumes. He held his breath, letting the smoke sear his lungs before he let it out through his nose.

Goddamn it.

He walked home quickly, venting out his anger and frustration in every step and in every breath he took on his cigarette. Once that one was spent, he reached for another one, puffing along like a factory smokestack.

He went through seven by the time he reached his apartment.

Chucking his bags into the corner of the room, he grabbed his chair and sat down, really, just dropped like a lead weight onto the old rickety thing. Clutching his head in his hands, he stared down at his desk, the cigarette still between his lips. The smoke continued to rise and curl around him, but he paid it no attention.

"I'm suspended," he said out loud. "Three months. I'm surprised it wasn't any longer."

"I'm surprised he didn't fire you."

"He almost did. Gave me a good talking-to, too. And he's right. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Elphaba."

She came up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. After the incident, Elphaba was badly shaken and in a semi-paralysed state of shock. Nessa took her into the mansion to hide her. But she couldn't stay there forever. Liiku volunteered to take her to his apartment, where she could lay low for a while.

"You weren't the one that turned him into tin," she reminded him bitterly.

"I might as well have," he said angrily. "My goddamn idea. My goddamn plan. And you, Nessa, and Boq all had to suffer because I fucked up."

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"You hide. And right now, this is the best place you can hang low for a good long time. No one will bother me here. I don't get any visitors, and there's plenty of curtains on the windows. You'll be safe here for a good long time."

"But what about you?" she asked.

"I'll have to find another job to foot the bills for the next three months," he said simply. "You just worry about keeping yourself busy and not driving yourself mad with boredom."

"I've got that covered," she said thinly. "I'm going to decipher this whole damn book and find out what each and every single spell does."

"I can catch a few rats for you ad you can experiment on them," Liiku offered half-heartedly.

"You're disgusting," Elphaba snapped.

"But in all honesty," he said, heaving himself out of his chair and walking over to Elphaba's side. "If you need anything, anything at all as long as you're cooped up here for the time being, don't hesitate to ask me."

Elphaba looked up at him, and for the first time in years, she smiled. It wasn't just any smile. It was a true, full-hearted, genuine smile. And Liiku's heart just melted at the sight of it. She had the most beautiful smile, and Liiku killed to see it over and over again. Just seeing it made him happy.

_She should smile more often,_ he thought._ She's too pretty not to be smiling all the time._

Wait, what?!

"Thank you," she said, turning back to her book. "I could use your help with this, but I don't think you know anything about magic."

"I'll look around and see what I can find," he offered. "Maybe one of my contacts will know someone who knows a thing or two about spells."

She smiled again. That smile of hers. He couldn't hold back his own. "I would greatly appreciate that," she said. "But, can I ask you for one more thing?"

"Of course, anything," he said.

"I want to see Fiyero again," she said in a rushed voice. "If you could somehow bring him here, I would like that very much. It's been so long . . . I never got to say good-bye to him."

Liiku bit his lip. He remembered all too well the day Fiyero confessed his love for her. Did she feel the same way about him?

No, impossible. Fiyero hadn't done a single thing for her. Fiyero wasn't out there risking life and limb for her everyday like he was. But they were friends, and good ones. And Liiku wanted so badly to make her happy.

"I'll see what I can do," he said. "I'll write him a letter asking him to come by. We'll see what happens."

Elphaba stood up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you so much." She then ripped the cigarette out of his mouth. "And please, try to stop smoking. It's disgusting."

"Hey! Give that back!" Liiku said. "My apartment, my rules. If I wanna sear my lungs with smoke, that's my issue."

"You're going to kill yourself."

"Like I care anymore," he said lightly.

Elphaba walked over to the window, and pulling back the curtain, she carefully tossed it out the window.

"You really are wicked," Liiku teased her. "Fine, I'll try to cut back, but no promises."

"Thank you."

He then returned to his desk and started to type out a letter to Fiyero. "You know, I really have to wonder what the old sod's up to nowadays."

Elphaba bit her bottom lip nervously. "I hope he's ok."

"I'm sure he's fine, I'm just not sure what he's up to," Liiku said. "Probably more wild goose chases and keeping the Guards busy."

"They're all over Munchkinland looking for me," Elphaba said, more to herself than anyone.

"That's good news, because you're far away from there," Liiku said. "They're not going to be looking for you in the Emerald City."

Elphaba remained silent. The rustling of the old pages of the Grimmerie and the endless clatter of the typewriter was the only sound in the tiny apartment.

"I'm sure Boq hates me," she said suddenly.

Liiku stopped. "It's not your fault. You saved his life. He knows that, too. I'm sure he just needs time to cool off and think this whole thing over. Look, don't beat yourself up over it. What's done is done. Just worry about yourself for now."

"How come you're not scared or angry?" she asked. "How can you just sit there and not care?"

Liiku spun around. "I _do_care. You don't think I'm not terrified you'll be captured? You're wrong. I'm scared for you, Elphaba, I worry myself sick over you. But I don't let my emotions consume me, and neither should you."

"How do you deal with it all, then?" she asked.

He pulled out a cigarette. "And you wonder why I smoke myself silly every day."

"That's not healthy."

"Neither is beating yourself up or bottling up your emotions," Liiku countered. "But you do it."

For once, Elphaba was speechless.

* * *

Fiyero paced back and forth in his quarters. He was trying to figure out what do do now. Elphaba had been spotted in Munchkinland, so here he was, with an entire squadron, trying to track her down. The men thought that she would still be here, but Fiyero knew better. She would have gotten as far away from this place as she possibly could.

And Boq . . . he still couldn't fully comprehend what had happened to him. No one had seen him after the speech, not that Fiyero could blame him. And Nessa was under the careful watch of several doctors to make sure she wasn't "possessed" again.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. They combed every inch of the Munchkinland square, but there was absolutely no trace of her. Must have fled by that flying broomstick of hers.

Seriously, a flying broomstick?! That just didn't seem right.

But he had noticed something else. Someone else had been here. Liiku. He was here when Nessa gave her speech. But now he was nowhere to be found. Everyone else thought nothing of it, saying it was a reporter's job to hop from place to place to pick up the latest story.

Perhaps.

But if Fiyero knew Liiku, he would have been here, harassing the Guards about their progress and interviewing the witnesses silly about the event. That is, unless he had something more important to take care of. Fiyero rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Nothing added up.

"Message for you, sir," a squadron member said suddenly, holding out a single sheet of paper for him. Fiyero turned, and took the paper. The guard saluted and headed back to his position.

He was about to toss it away, not in the mood to read it, but the first line of the paper caught his attention.

_Hey, Fiyero! How's it going! Liiku here, just dropping you a quick salutations._

He stopped, and read the rest of the letter more carefully.

_It's been crazy, with that whole mess in Munchkinland going on. I had to get back to the Emerald City to turn in my report, so as long as I was home, I thought I'd just say hi. It's been a while since we talked, hasn't it? We should meet up, and we could talk some more. I heard about your latest promotion, congrats! _

_You should come by, I'm sure all the farmland out there is a dull sight to see. And it's funny; you leave the City for a few days, and when you come back, it all seems so much more green. _

_I also ran into an old friend. I think you might know her from school. She's staying at my place for a bit, and I thought this would be a great time for us old buddies to get together._

_Hope to see you soon._

_Liiku._

Fiyero understood the hidden message. Elphaba was staying with Liiku! This was perfect! But how was he going to get away from his post? He called over one of the Lieutenants watching over the guards.

"Yes, Captain?" he asked.

"I need to get back to the Emerald City. Urgent business. You think you can take care of things here?" Fiyero said.

"Of course, sir. Nothing much going on, and no clues to the Witch's location yet. But we'll keep searching."

"Good man," he said. "I'll be no more than a few days."

* * *

A knock came at the door.

Liiku opene dthe door slowly, an peered outside.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Fiyero," he said with a grin. "Come on in."

"Good to see you," Fiyero said.

"Same here," Liiku said. He glanced around outside, and closed the door. "Were you followed?"

"No," Fiyero said uncertainly. "Why should I be?"

"In case the Wizard's keeping tabs on his loyal dogs," Liiku said. He glanced out behind a window curtain. Satisfied, he made sure the blinds were fully closed. "Ok, it's clear."

Elphaba stepped out of a back room, and met Fiyero's eyes. Fiyero hadn't seen her for five long agonizing years, and she had changed quite a bit since the last time he had seen her. Her skin was still a very healthy and vibrant (and beautiful) shade of green, her long black raven hair was carefully pinned back up into a bun. She was leaner, taller, and her eyes no longer held that naive glimmer. Instead, they were hard with experience and wisdom. But they still shone with warmth and kindness.

"Elphaba . . ." he whisered. "It's so good to see you again."

She gave him a brilliant smile, and threw her arms around his shoulders. "Oh, Fiyero, I've missed you so much!"

"I have, too," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. He buried his head into her hair, her beautiful black hair which smelled like fresh citrus fruits. He didn't want to let her go. It had been far too long since they've seen each other last.

Liiku, who had been watching the two, cleared his throat noisily. Elphaba jumped away from Fiyero, slightly embarrassed, while Fiyero was glaring daggers at him.

"Well, now that we're all here, what now?" he asked.

Fiyero thought for a moment. "The Emerald City isn't safe for you, Elphaba. You need somewhere better to hide," he said.

"For now, this is the best we've got," Liiku said in a strained voice. "Elphaba's going to be staying with me until things cool down."

"I have a better place for her to stay!" Fiyero said. "My family owns a castle in Kiamo Ko! No one lives there, only the sentries to watch over it." He turned to Elphaba. "It's the perfect hiding place, full of tunnels and secret passage ways. You'll be much safer there."

"She's perfectly fine here," Liiku said. "Besdes, I'm helping her decipher the Grimmerie, it'll be better if she stays close so I can help her."

"Liiku," ELphaba said. "I think I should go to Kiamo Ko."

"What?!"

"I really appreciate all you've done for me, but the fact is it's not safe for me here," she said. "And if I'm caught here, I don't want to think about what they'll do to you. I need to be as far away from the Emerald City as possible."

"And since I know where she is now, I can lead the Gale Force to everywhere but there!" Fiyero said. "Wasn't that your plan, Liiku?"

Liiku could feel his entire body tense. What right did he have to take her from him?! She was perfectly fine here! She didn't have to leave! She doesn't have to leave! But of course that stupid brainless prince had to come in and ruin everything!!!

"Liiku?" Elphaba asked.

"Go if you want. I won't stop you," he said. "If you want to go, then go. I don't care."

"Leave tonight," Fiyero said. "It's going to be cloudy, no moon. It'll be safe for you to travel. I'll draw you a map, and you can pack whatever you'll need to go."

Fiyero pulled out a piece of paper, and began to draw a crude map. Elphaba leaned over him, and grabbed his hand in her own.

"Thank you so very much," she said.

"It's nothing, really," Fiyero said sweetly. He took her other hand. "I'm glad I could help you out."

They were close now, very close. Slowly, Fiyero leaned into her, and their lips touched, hesitating for only a moment before Elphaba leaned in as well, kissing him full on the lips.

Liiku couldn't believe it. First Boq, now this?! He couldn't believe Elphaba would fall for someone . . . someone like him!!

He whipped out another cigarette.

Son of a bitch.


	16. Chapter 16

At precisely midnight, under the cover of the clouds and starless night, Elphaba flew off to Kiamo Ko, hefting a bag full of food, books, and clothes, and many other supplies she would need. She gave Fiyero one last kiss before she left, and for Liiku, a simple hug.

"Thank you for everything, Liiku," she whispered to him. She jumped on her broom and flew out of the window, her cape whipping around her lean and beautiful body. One moment she was riding higher and higher into the sky, Liiku blinked, and she was gone.

Fiyero and Liiku stood there for a moment in silence, staring at the spot where Elphaba had been a moment before. Shaking his head, Liiku turned away.

"Well, get out of here. Your girlfriend's gone, you have no reason to be here," Liiku said gruffly. He pulled out a cigarette and began to smoke.

Fiyero gave him a hurt look. "What? Elphaba's not my girlfriend! She's just . . . a very good friend."

"I saw how you two were slobbering all over each other!" Liiku roared suddenly. He felt something inside of him snap, and all of his anger started to build and flooded him, consuming him. He was so furious with Fiyero for his interference. How dare he ruin everything?!

_"Slobbering?!"_

"Yes! And you just had to come in and ruin everything, didn't you? You just couldn't let her stay here with me could you? No! You had to go ahead and shove her off to that god damned castle of yours!"

"I didn't _shove her off! _She chose to go!" Fiyero exclaimed. "I was just trying to help!"

"And some help you are!" Liiku continued. "You just stand around looking all grand and important while I'm out there risking my neck for her! What have you done for her? What have you done to help her? Nothing!"

Fiyero glared at Liiku hard, but slowly, his features softened, and he began to laugh. "Oh, I see what's going on here," he grinned. "You love Elphaba, don't you?"

The sentence felt more like an accusation, and it hit Liiku hard. He stood there, completely at loss for words. He was so shocked with Fiyero's sudden proclamation he almost dropped his cigarette. But as quickly as the shock hit him, Liiku recollected himself.

"And what if I do?" Liiku challenged. "She is the most compassionate person I have ever met, and never have I met someone so willing to fight for the right thing. I won't deny it, Princess, I _love_ Elphaba. The only thing I don't get is how she could ever love someone like you."

"I don't expect you to," Fiyero said, turning back to the window Elphaba had flown out of. "That one day, when we rescued the Lion cub . . . I don't expect you to understand this, but there was something that just . . . connected between the two of us. I never stopped thinking about her after that day."

"Now you're just sounding pathetic," Liiku snarled.

"And you're just sounding rather jealous right now," Fiyero snickered.

"Get the hell out of my house."

Fiyero gave him a mock-salute and headed out the door, still smiling to himself. How Liiku wanted to beat him up just for that stupid grin of his.

Well if Liiku could do magic, he would turn that bastard into tin, as well. Or maybe something even more disfigured. Something scary . . .

He shook his head. _Listen to me. I'm sitting here, thinking about how I can hurt an old friend because the girl I love is in love with him. Goddamn it, he's right. I hate him so much for being right, _Liiku thought to himself. _But why does Elphaba love him?_

Whatever the case was, he couldn't deny what had just happened. Fiyero loved Elphaba, and she loved him in return. Liiku was smart enough to know that chasing after a girl already taken was just asking for trouble, but . . . goddamn it, he had never felt this way about anyone before! He couldn't deny it; he was crazy about her. She was so strong, and smart, and _beautiful . . ._

He needed to prove to her just how much she meant to him. But how? The answer seemed to come to him almost immediately; he was going to tell people the truth. He couldn't just sit back and wait anymore. Despite what had happened to Boq, he had to help Elphaba. He had to prove the people she was innocent.

But it had to be a lot more subtle than Munchkinland. Their little demonstration was probably too much of a shock for the people to take in all at once. Another article, but this, much more low-key. It had to be slight, and seemingly neutral, yet at the same time, supportive of Elphaba.

Cracking his knuckles, he set off to work.

It had to be done by tomorrow. Or rather, later this morning, since it was _already_ tomorrow.

* * *

The Emerald City _Herald_.

The Emerald City _Post's_ big rival and competitor. The _Herald _was a bit of a . . . shadier business, for lack of better words. While the _Post_ covered stories based on facts and daily events, the _Herald _liked to go for the supernatural and the unexplained. And the reporters here were as ruthless and savage as hungry dogs, and ten times more desperate and the least dignified people Liiku had ever had the displeasure of meeting. Normally Liiku wouldn't come within five miles of his major rival (who constantly gave him headaches) but he knew that going to the _Post _was out of the question. Kaerson couldn't find out about his secret little mission, and Liiku knew for a fact Kaerson would never, _ever_ read any of the _Herald's_ stuff.

It was perfect.

As he entered, he got some seriously nasty glares from the workers. Liiku was widely known on the streets for being the _Post's_ big guns. And seeing an enemy walking straight into their home was almost an act of suicide.

The tension between the two businesses was more like the hatred between two rival gangs battling for territory. Whoever got to the story first got the first shot at the big scoop, and whoever had the big scoop was more popular, and whoever was popular had a higher following, more customers, more buyers, more money.

It was even like a gang in the fact that most of the stuff the reporters did to get the big scoop was illegal, but the _Post_ prided itself in getting the big story without resorting to such drastic measures.

Liiku approached the secretary, who glared coldly at him. Now that he looked around, he noticed most of the other people stopped working and stared at him, some balling up their fists ready to beat the crap out of him.

Yep. Definitely like a gang.

"So what's a big time _Post _guy like you doin' in a rinky-dinky dump like here?" one of the workers asked coldly.

Liiku didn't break eye contact with the secretary. "Well, wouldn't you like to know?"

"We don't take kindly to people like you bein' here," another said.

"You're in luck, I was fired."

"Bullshit. The _Post_ isn't stupid enough to lose someone like you."

"Yet here I am."

"You better get out of here or we'll rip you to pieces," he threatened.

"That wouldn't be a smart thing to do. Because I came here with a . . . _peace offering."_ He turned around and looked at the gang that was surrounding him. Some still eyed him harshly, others showed just the slightest spark of interest. "Yes, gentlemen, I was suspended--temporarily--from my old job at the _Post_. Needless to say, I'm a little upset about that. But I just can't help writing. I love it like the filthy air I breathe. But of course, I'm not going to give the _Post_ my work. They don't deserve it. But I know you guys will appreciate my work fully." He held up the folder containing his article he had written last night. Without a word, one of the men ripped it from his hand and began to read. His eyes went wide slowly, and he nodded with approval.

"You know, our boss gives you high praise. Says you can write one hell of a paper," he said. "This is gold. Telling the people the Witch isn't evil?! People are gonna eat this shit up, man!"

"Three hundred for it," Liiku said. "And maybe if you like my work so much . . . I'll start working here permanently."

The man in front of him smiles wickedly. "Missus," he says, addressing the secretary. "Write our good man here a check for three-fifty. I'm takin' this up with the boss." He clapped Liiku on the shoulder. "Good luck, man. Hope to see you around!"

Liiku grinned. "I hope so, too."

* * *

Later that night, Liiku was lying peacefully in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Finally, something good was heading his way. He had written a paper clearly labeling Elphaba innocent, and gave the people every single piece of evidence for them to believe it.

Maybe this would lead to something, as well.

A loud banging came at his door. "Open up!"

Liiku jumped to his feet, startled at the intrusion. "Who's there?" he called out.

"Gale Force, with a warrant for your arrest!"

Liiku's heart skipped a beat. "_What?!_ Why?"

"For aiding a wanted criminal and attempting to undermine the Emerald City _Herald_!!"

"What are you talking about?" Liiku said. "I didn't try to _undermine_ them!"

"We have fifteen eye-witnesses saying you tried to force the Herald to print an article claiming the Wicked Witch to be innocent! That paper would have ruined the company, you knew full well of that!"

Shit. Those back-stabbing, double-crossing _bastards_!!!

"You've got it all wrong! I didn't-"

_"Open up the door, Thriggs! _We've got a warrant for your arrest, so you either come nice and quiet or by force!_"_

"To hell with you guys!" Liiku roared.

"Break it open!" one of the Guards outside yelled to his men. They pounded against the door thunderously, the wood creaking and groaning with every swing they took at the door. Liiku backed into his room, looking for something, anything . . .

"You have been found guilty of aiding a wanted criminal! We're taking you into custody for questioning!" one of the men said as they continued to attempt barging down the door.

A cold chill crept down his spine. The Gale Force usually took prisoners to only one prison; Southstair. The most infamous and secured prison in Oz. Almost no one got out once they got in.

"The hell I will!" Liiku roared as he looked around for some type of weapon. "You're not taking me to Southstair!"

Deja vu. At that exact moment, he experienced an overwhelming sensation as if he had seen this before. As if he had known it was going to happen.

"We have orders from the Wizard to take you by force if need be!" the guards said.

"Did he now?" Liiku whispered.

A dream. He had seen this in a dream! He furiously struggled to remember what happened in his dream, but the logical and sane side of him screamed that it didn't matter. Guards were coming to arrest him. He had to do something! But at the same time, some force of nature caused him to say "I have every right to publish whatever the hell I want in my newspaper!"

It was like the memory of the dream overpowered him to say the same thing he had said back then.

He grabbed a pan from the kitchen, just as the guards broke down the door. Five guards flooded the place, each holding vicious ornate, yet deadly, spears. Liiku swung wildly at one of the men and hit him right across the head, knocking him out cold instantly. The others lunged at him, one grabbing his arm and twisting it painfully. Liiku hollered in pain and dropped his pan, and furiously began to strike at the guard that held him. He could feel more blows land on his body, sharp punches, powerful kicks, even their spears cutting his arms. Everything was such a confusing blur of motions. Shouts and yells filled the air.

Liiku didn't know what to do but keep fighting like a caged animal, a feeling of satisfaction creeping through him whenever he landed a blow. He almost felt no pain as the guards continued to strike him, only a dull throb wherever they hit him.

He looked up, and saw the glimmering steel of the wickedly curved blade of the Guard's spear. Everything passed in slow motion. Liiku turned away, but was being held back by two of the men. The blade came down, lightning-fast, yet at the same time, as if time had slowed to almost a standstill.

Pain.

So much pain.

Liiku screamed loudly. His entire face was ablaze with agonizing pain, blinding, searing pain. The guards released him and he grabbed his face, feeling blood pour from his wound onto the floor. The left side of his face had been gashed horribly, and Liiku screamed in agony as his blood pooled around him.

His blood!

"My eye! _My eye!!"_ he screamed. He could feel the severity of the cut; it traveled all the way from the middle of his forehead to the corner of his mouth, cutting right across his left eye. He doubled over, clutching his wound, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. _**"MY EYE!!!"**_

The guards yanked him to his feet and shoved him out the door. Liiku stumbled and tripped over himself, but the guards simply grabbed him and shoved him onward, leaving a trail of blood behind him. All Liiku could do was clutch his face in his hands and try to stop the bleeding, but every time he tripped or fell, the guards would beat him and strike him, opening up the wound. Causing more blood to pour out.

He didn't know how long he had been walking, but they were finally at the Emerald City Palace. Southstair was directly below it, hundreds of feet underground. More pushing, more shoving.

More blood.

He is shoved into a chamber with chains welded straight into the stone walls. His hands are clamped into the cuffs, so his face is pressed against the stone wall. A guard rips off his shirt, exposing his back.

Liiku grits his teeth and prepares for what is to come. The pain on the side of his face has not dulled a single bit, and as his face is pressed against the cold stone, he can see the blood from his wound smear against it.

There's a loud crack, followed by a bolt of pain running all up and down his back. Liiku grabs the chains tightly, determined not to cry out and give the guards the satisfaction that they are hurting him.

Another crack, another flash of pain. Liiku winces, pulling against the iron that binds him, but there is no escape. His breathing comes harder. The whip cracks again.

And again.

And again.

It doesn't stop. Liiku could feel a warm liquid slide down his back.

More blood.

The only thing he can do is stand there, and try to stay conscious for as long as he can.

He hates himself for being so weak and pathetic.


	17. Chapter 17

Later that day when Elphaba had flown off to Kiamo Ko, Fiyero had taken his position back in Munchkinland, still trying to look for Elphaba. But by now, many of the men were convinced that the trail was cold and that the Witch was somewhere else.

"Any further signs?" Fiyero asked.

"No, sir."

"Then we're doing no good here. Assemble the men, we're heading back to the Emerald City to await further orders."

"Yes, sir. If I may be so bold, can I ask you a question?"

"You may, soldier," Fiyero said distantly.

"Where do you think she went?"

Fiyero closed his eyes and thought long and hard, or he pretended to. He opened his eyes,staring blanky into the distance. "Somewhere . . . safe. For her. Alone. Plotting her next course of actions."

"But where?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Fiyero said. "Pack up, the train to the Emerald City leaves Munchkinland in two hours. I want everyone ready to board that train."

The soldier saluted. "Yes, Captain."

Fiyero did not speak to any of the men on his way back, only stared out the window thoughtfully. He could only think of Elphaba. About how much he loved her. How he wanted to be with her, in her arms.

Even though he had seen her only a day or so ago, he wanted to see her yet again. But there was also Liiku. He loved Elphaba as well. He was rash, hot-tempered, and sometimes downright unpredictable. But for all his faults, he was also loyal, trustworthy, and smart. Surely Liiku knew how to control his emotions and not let them get the better of him.

After a few hour's journey, they arrived back in the Emerald City, and the squadron marched back to their stations at the Palace. Fiyero was putting his supplies away when he heard two of the Palace Guards excitedly talking to themselves.

"We'll get her now! Once we torture the information out of him, we'll have the Wicked Witch!"

Immediately, Fiyero snapped around. "What were you saying?" he demanded.

"Captain!" one of the men saluted. "We didn't know you got back."

"Just came back now. What's going on?"

"We arrested a guy under the suspicion he's working with the Witch!" the second guard said excitedly. "We have him in Southstair, we just took him in last night. Been torturing him for information ever since. Bastard's bound to break soon."

Fiyero felt an icy hand grip his heart. "You took him in last night . . . and have been torturing the man ever since?"

"That's correct, Captain!"

"Take me to the prisoner." Fiyero said hollowly. No one, criminal or not, should be subjected to torture for so long. And whoever the man was is a friend of Elphaba's, if he was working with her . . .

Suddenly his stomach dropped. Could it be . . . ?

Fiyero raced down to the dungeons, and as he entered the prisons, he could clearly hear the crack of a whip, over and over again. And someone grunting in pain, even crying out. Fiyero walked briskly over to the source of the sound. But he had to be careful. He couldn't let the men know of his true intentions.

As he rounded the corner, the true extent of the carnage was revealed to him, as well as the prisoner. It was Liiku.

He was chained up to a wall, his entire back exposed and covered in gashes scarring what seemed to be every inch of his flesh. Blood flowed endlessly from the dozens of wounds covering his skin. Two guards were there, one with a whip, cracking it repeatedly against Liiku's raw back, making whatever wounds that were closed re-open, spilling a fresh load of blood against the floor. The other stood there, and would occasionally step up and punch Liiku in the gut viciously, forcing him to cough up ragged chunks of blood.

Fiyero steeled himself, but the sight was nothing short of absolutely savage and barbaric. Liiku was on the brink of unconsciousness, and his blood was all over the place.

The sight was enough to make him vomit. Never, in his entire life, had he ever seen something so horrible.

"Stop!" Fiyero said forcefully, and the two guards jumped. When they saw who it was, they saluted, a sense of panic overcoming them.

"Sir, we were simply trying to torture the information out of this criminal. He knows where the Wicked Witch is!" one of the guards, the one with the whip, stuttered.

"She's not wicked!" Liiku said in a weak and hoarse voice. The other guard stepped up to him and slapped him hard across the face. Liiku simply stared coldly back at him and spat in his face. The guard raised his hand to strike Liiku again.

"Stop!" Fiyero said again, and the soldier did so. "I will deal with this piece of scum personally." He took the whip--drenched in Liiku's own blood-- and smacked it against his hands. "Let me interrogate him. I'll get the information out of him soon enough." His voice was hard, masking his true emotions of absolute horror and sadness. But the guards couldn't know. Never.

The guards looked at each other and grinned wickedly, and slowly backed out, still watching Fiyero. They were waiting. Fiyero knew all too well what for. He knew what he had to do.

_Liiku, forgive me._

He unfurled the whip and cracked it. It struck Liiku's exposed flesh like lightning, and he roared in pain. The guards laughed loudly, satisfied at Fiyero's work.

Again, Fiyero came down with the whip. Liiku screamed. It killed Fiyero to see him in so much pain. But it was necesssary. He told himself that over and over, trying to justify the horrible thing he was doing.

_I have to torture him. The guards can't know or they'll kill us both._

It took everything he had not to break his mask. He had to remain hollow. Empty. Emotionless.

Finally, the guards left. Fiyero looked around. No one in sight.

"I bet you enjoyed that, you bastard," Liiku wheezed.

Fiyero dropped the whip and ran to his side. "Sweet Oz . . ." he whispered. He ran around the dungeon until he found a bucked and filled it with water, grabbing rags as well. He started to clean the blood off of his back, trying to be as gentle as he could. Liiku tensed and groaned in pain. His entire back was scarred, completely covered in cuts. Fiyero shook his head.

"What . . . what the hell did you do?!" Fiyero snapped. "What did you do to get here?!"

"I . . . just trying . . . to help her," Liiku said weakly. "I tried . . . to prove her innocent."

"You idiot," Fiyero growled. "Remember the last time you tried to help her? What happened to Boq?! Don't you ever learn?!"

"I am not . . . going to sit back . . . and . . ." Liiku protested, but Fiyero silenced him.

"Shut up and reserve your strength. Good Oz, what am I going to do with you?" He continued to clean Liiku's injuries, but then noticed the dried blood smeared on the wall next to his head. He could only see the right side of his face; the left was pressed up against the wall.

"Liiku, turn around," he said.

Liiku breathed heavily through his nose, but turned his head to expose the left side of his face. It was covered in blood. His eye was swollen shut, and a nasty gash traveled all the way up from his forehead to his lip. Fiyero jumped, but instantly rushed up to him and began cleaning off the blood.

"Damn, that's going to leave a nasty scar," Fiyero whispered.

"How about you get me the hell out of here and I'll clean myself up?" Liiku said thickly, jerking his head away. "I don't need you babying me."

"What is your problem?" Fiyero asked with a mix of anger and shock. "Your're standing there, severely injured, on the brink of unconsciousness, and you won't even let me help you?"

"Just get me out of here," Liiku growled.

"The best I can do right now is move you to a cell. There's only one way out, which is the way I came in, and no doubt guards will be there. I'll make sure the guards won't hurt you further, and I'll try to think of something to get you out," Fiyero said.

"Tell them I'm innocent," Liiku said.

Fiyero rolled his eyes. "You just said the Witch wasn't wicked and spat in a guard's face. They are not going to buy that."

"Water . . ."

"What?"

"Water. Thirsty. Better yet, whiskey. Nice big shot of whiskey."

"Only water for you, you stupid idiot."

"Nice vocabulary," Liiku remarked. Fiyero only shook his head. Even severely injured, Liiku was as harsh as always.

Fiyero unlocked Liiku from his cuffs and helped him stumble into a nearby cell. Liiku winced with pain with every step he took, and every time Fiyero would touch his back, or a bruised rib, Liiku would inhale sharply and flinch. He could only imagine how much pain Liiku was in.

And his eye . . . Fiyero may not be a doctor, but he knew the cut was infected. He had to get a doctor. But usually, prisoners weren't worthy of such special treatments.

Liiku stepped into his cell and almost collapsed to the floor, but Fiyero picked him up and dragged him over to the bed, face down, with the left side of his face upwards. He was unconscious.

Taking advantage of Liiku's state, Fiyero refilled the bucket with fresh water and took some more rags. He cleaned Liiku's wounds as best as he could, but only time could seal up the cuts that lined his back.

As for his eye, there wasn't much else he could do but clean up the blood. At least it was beginning to heal.

He locked up the cell door, and wracked his brain for a plan.

He emerged from the prisons, the guards standing around and waiting for him.

"So did he spill?" one asked.

"Slipped into unconsciousness before I could break him," Fiyero said with false frustration. "But as soon as he wakes up, I wanna deal with him again. Do not touch him without my permission, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir, but why?"

"Are you questioning my orders, soldier?!" Fiyero roared at the guard. He flinched, and shied away.

"No, sir."

"Good. Alert me when he wakes up. Get him food and water. He's no use to us dead," Fiyero said. He then walked away. "Oh, and gentlemen, if any of you disobeys my orders and tortures him further without my permission, you'll recieve the same fate as that criminal!"

He left.

* * *

Elphaba walked around Kiamo Ko, taking in the entire castle. It was very old and some parts were in desperate need of repair, but it would do just fine. It wasn't cold or drafty, and it wasn't too dirty. There was even some food in the kitchens. After examining several of the rooms, she decided her bedroom would be the West Tower, the highest spire of the castle, which also had the most magnificent view of the mountains. It gave her a wonderful view of the sunset, and the sight was nothing short of magical.

She wished the surrounding forest was a bit more lively; it looked like everything around was dead and whithered. The trees were knarled and leaf-less, and the grass was dry and brown. But, nothing could be perfect.

She explored the castle some more, and found a nice-sized library, full of books of every subject, from history to mythology, and even one or two spell books. She immediately sat down and began to read them.

A light tapping sound resounded through the large stone room.

Instantly alert, Elphaba put down her book and stood absolutely still, listening. The tapping came again. Springing to her feet, she rushed out of the library and into the main hall, and listened. Another tap.

"Elphaba, it is I, Silverlight!" a high voice squawked.

She let out a loud sigh of relief. A Crow flew in through one of the many windows of the castle, and landed gently on Elphaba's shoulder. "Good to see you, Silverlight," she said.

He bowed. The Crow was her very own personal messenger; it was the only safe way she could communicate with Liiku and Fiyero. "I wish I were here under happier circumstances," he said sadly.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"It's Liiku. He's in Southstair."

A hand rose to her mouth. "How did he end up there? Is he alright?" Elphaba had heard several stories of the terrible things the guards did to prisoners there. She could only hope the guards were merciful to him.

"He tried to publish a paper claiming your innocence, but he was ratted out and handed over to the guards," Silverlight said bitterly. "And from what I was able to overhear . . . well . . . Liiku is alive, at least."

"How bad?" Elphaba demanded him. "How bad is it?"

Silverlight hesitated, but upon seeing the stern and worried look in Elphaba's eyes, he relented. "He was beaten. Horribly. The guards whipped him continuously for hours. He's lucky to be alive."

Elphaba started pacing in circles, causing Silverlight to flap off her shoulder. He landed on the ground and watched Elphaba pace back and forth furiously.

"I have to break him out," she said.

"Ma'am, I would advise against that," Silverwing said carefully. "Fiyero has assured me no more harm will come to your friend. He is trying to think of a way to release Liiku himself, but if you try to break him out, you will only get caught. Southstair is too well-guarded."

"I can't stand back and do nothing!" Elphaba said angrily. She stopped pacing. "I need to create a distraction, and all the guards will rush to the scene. I can then slip in and rescue him!"

"It's dangerous," Silverlight said worriedly.

"It's Liiku's only chance. He'll die if he's kept in there," Elphaba said. "There's no time, we have to come up with a plan and tell Fiyero. I'll distract the guards and Fiyero can break Liiku out!"

"This is not going to be easy," Silverlight said cautiously.

"Good. I always liked a nice challenge."


	18. Chapter 18

"Captain, the prisoner is awake."

Fiyero turned around, and saw a prison guard standing at attention. He inwardly groaned. "Thank you. I shall attend to him immediately." He followed the guard back down to Southstair, and approached the tiny, cold, and dirty cell Liiku was forced into. He stared up at Fiyero with a furious gaze, but he had his left eye bandaged up. Fiyero dismissed the guard.

"Let me talk with him privately," Fiyero said.

"Yes, sir," he said, and left.

"Swell place this is," Liiku said dryly.

"Oh, shut up, you're lucky I'm here or you'd be dead," Fiyero said. "Those guards would have tortured you until you were either dead or you gave them the information they wanted."

"You know I would never betray her," Liiku said.

"I know you wouldn't."

"So what's your brilliant plan now, Captain?" Liiku asked.

"I don't know," he said thickly. "It's going to be almost impossible getting you out without anyone noticing."

"Then figure something out."

"Hey! You're the one who was stupid enough to get yourself locked in here in the first place!" Fiyero shot.

"At least I was trying to help Elphaba!"

"A fat lot of help you're doing in here!"

"And you're just doing so much more out there, aren't you?"

Fiyero clenched his fists. Liiku really knew how to push his buttons. "Look, I'll figure something out. Just be patient, ok?"

Liiku shrugged. "Fine. I'll wait. Just as long as I don't see another whip as long as I'm in here," he added with a shudder.

Fiyero turned and left, and saw two prison guards standing outside the doors, waiting for him.

"What did he say, sir?" one of the guards asked.

Fiyero inhaled deeply. "I gave him an ultimatum. If he doesn't talk within the next twenty-four hours, I will give you full permission to torture him further."

Great. Now he had twenty-four hours to come up with some sort of brilliant plan.

* * *

Silverlight flew quickly across the skies, flying straight through the night and reaching the Emerald City by morning. He circled around the Palace itself, looking for Fiyero. After a half-hour of fruitless searching, he landed on the roof of a nearby building and waited. It must have been hours; by the time he finally spotted Fiyero emerge from the Palace, it was late in the afternoon. Silverlight let out a loud **_CAW! _**and Fiyero's head snapped up in his direction. He turned away, and kept walking as if he wasn't seeing anything out of the ordinary. But Silverlight knew better. He flew off after him and followed him, keeping high into the skies.

Fiyero ducked and swerved down several alleys and streets to shake off any potential followers, although Silverlight could clearly see there was no one following him. But the precaution was necessarry. Soon, Fiyero ducked inside an old warehouse long since used, and Silverlight flew inside after him.

"What is it, Silverlight?" Fiyero asked the Crow.

"Miss Elphaba has made a plan for breaking Liiku out of prison," Silverlight said. "Although, I must warn you, you're not going to like it."

Fiyero gulped nervously. "Tell me. What's her plan?"

"She will create a distraction on the south section of the city. You will order all of the guards to go after her, and when no one is around, you can slip in and break him out," Silverlight said simply.

"What kind of diversion?" Fiyero asked carefully.

Silverlight hesitated. "She wasn't specific. But she did say something along the lines of . . . her riding on her broom and shooting fireballs in the air," he said, saying the last part very quickly in hopes Fiyero wouldn't catch it.

Fiyero blinked. "What?" he said, rather stupidly. "Is she crazy?! She can get hurt!"

"Even if the guards did try to shoot her, I think that Elphaba would be far enough away so that she could easily dodge them," Silverlight said hopefully. Fiyero wasn't satisfied.

"I'm not going to let her put herself in a situation where she could get hurt!" Fiyero said stubbornly. "We have to think of another plan!"

"She knew you wouldn't like it," Silverlight said with a weak laugh. "But she took off somewhere after I went to deliver the message. I have no idea where she could be."

"Well that's just perfect," Fiyero grumbled. "So what now?"

"We wait for nightfall," Silverlight said. "Once you break Liiku out, he'll need to hide somewhere. Elphaba was thinking about taking him to Kiamo Ko, since it would be unwise for him to remain in the city."

"What?! No! He can't go to Kiamo Ko!" Fiyero said angrily.

"Why not? He'll be a fugitive, he needs to hide. And there, Elphaba can hopefully heal Liiku's wounds," Silverlight said.

Fiyero clenched his fists. Knowing of Liiku's feelings for Elphaba, he might just . . . he didn't even want to think about it. But he knew the Crow was right. Kiamo Ko would be his safest bet. At least until they found somewhere else for him to hide.

"Fine. But I'm not going to like it," Fiyero said angrily.

"Good! Now all we need to do is wait."

"My favorite thing to do," Fiyero said sarcastically.

* * *

Elphaba stared out her window in anticipation. The sun was sinking lower and lower into the sky, sending the horizon ablaze with firey yellows, oranges, and reds. Just a little bit longer . . .

She gripped her broom handle nervously and recited the spell over to herself. It was a simple spell, and it took up hardly any energy. She would be able to shoot dozens of fireballs into the sky without so much as breaking a sweat. But she was more nervous about the guards. She would be swerving through the sky rather sporatically, and it would be dark, which definitely gave her an advantage if the guards did decide to shoot at her, but there was always the possibility of a lucky shot . . .

She shook her head. No use thinking about things like that, it would only make her uneasy.

An hour later, and it was time for her to go. Hopping onto her broom, she flew out of the window, soaring high above the ground. She took her time in heading to the Emerald City; no sense rushing anything quite yet. And she had to stay hidden until she was ready. Well, that shouldn't be much of a problem with a dark and cloudy sky and black clothes. No one would be able to spot her very easily.

The Emerald City loomed before her, and she could feel her pulse beat wildly inside of her chest. Almost there. Almost . . .

With a simple thought, she instructed the broom to fly higher, and immediately, it tilted upwards. It was a strange thing to only think of where you wanted to go and have the broom automatically follow your exact instructions. And it was something that never ceased to amaze Elphaba.

She was hovering just above the city, circling around the main square carefully. With a deep breath, she conjured up a bright ball of flames, and threw it high into the sky where it exploded like a firecracker.

* * *

_**BOOM!!!**_

"What in the hell was that?!" a guard shouted.

Fiyero jerked around, and to his shock, saw the night sky ablaze with fire. _Oh crap, is this it?_he thought to himself. Remembering the plan, he leapt into action.

"You five! Go and see what caused that explosion!" Fiyero ordered. The five saluted and ran off in the direction of the fire. But there were still other guards nearby.

"What do you think that was?" one of them asked.

"I'm not sure," Fiyero lied.

Another blast of fire erupted in the sky, and this time, it was much closer. And Fiyero could see a figure flying through the blaze. Elphaba!

"It's the witch! The Wicked Witch is shooting fire into the sky!" a soldier cried out.

"Get the others! Get every single guard in the area! Even the prison guards! Go!" Fiyero yelled. The soldier nodded and ran off, fetching as many guards as he could. Within minutes dozens upon dozens of soldiers filed out into the square, armed and ready for action. Fiyero ordered them to head straight for the Witch, but directed them not to attack unless they had a clean, clear shot. And without further word, they stormed off. Glancing around, he ran back into the Palace and down into Southstair. Not a guard in sight. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's going on out there?" Liiku asked.

"A distraction. I'm getting you out of here," Fiyero said, pulling out a set of keys and running up to the cell.

"Wonderful."

In seconds, Fiyero had the doors unlocked, and Liiku stepped out, although walking was still a little painful for him. Fiyero gave him a jacket to cover his scarred back, and the two rushed out of the Palace, Liiku falling a little behind. FIyero craned around, and saw Liiku grimacing with pain with every step he took.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm just peachy," Liiku groaned sarcastically. "My back hurts like hell."

"Your own fault for being so stupid."

"Shut it, princess."

"Stop calling me princess!"

"Make me."

"Let me remind you, I'm the only reason why you're out of Southstair."

"I would have gotten out of there eventually."

"Oh, shut up."

"Make me, Princess."

Fiyero rolled his eyes. Liiku could be one hell of an annoying bastard if he wanted to be. Fiyero forcefully reminded himself that if _his_entire back had been whipped senseless and his eye horribly scarred, he wouldn't be the chippest person in the world, either.

Liiku adjusted the bandage over his eye. "I need to get to a doctor before my scars start getting infected," he mumbled almost to himself.

"Elphaba will take you back to Kiamo Ko. You'll be safe there. I'm sure she can fix you up," Fiyero said thickly. He knew Elphaba would never betray him, but with Liiku, you never knew.

"Oh, really? Ok," Liiku said lightly. Oh, _now_ he was much calmer and nicer. Bastard.

Fiyero led Liiku down some more streets and alleyways, keeping to the shadows. They were silent before Liiku spoke up again.

"Can I sneak back to my apartment and get my things?" he asked innocently.

"_No_. We don't have time," Fiyero hissed. He glanced around, making sure no one was nearby. "Ok, on First and Cheshire, there's that old worn-out flower shop no one ever goes to anymore?"

"Yeah, I know the place."

"Meet Elphaba there. I have to get going. Hurry!" Fiyero said. They went their separate ways; Fiyero back to join his men before they noticed he was gone, and Liiku off to the abandoned flower shop. It wasn't far, and got there in about ten minutes. He slipped into the shadows and waited. It wasn't long before he saw a faint but very large figure flying overhead. Liiku craned up, and saw Elphaba flying her magical broomstick. She landed right next to him, giving him a warm smile as she approached.

"Good! It worked. Come on, hop on," Elphaba said, holding out the broom to him.

"You . . . you want me to fly on that thing?" Liiku asked weakly.

"Well, what were you expecting? Us two fugitives to just walk right out of the city?" Elphaba asked with a raised eyebrow.

Liiku groaned. "Point taken." He slipped onto the broomstick, sitting right behind Elphaba. Once he was comfortably seated (or, rather, as comfortably as he could) Elphaba pointed the broom into the air, and it immediately shot off into the sky. Liiku gasped loudly and wrapped his arms tightly around Elphaba's stomach, terrified.

"Er, you ok back there?" Elphaba asked, nearly wheezing at how tight Liiku was gripping her.

"Oh sweet Lurline," he muttered. "Crap, crap crap crap crap! I'm riding a flying piece of wood!"

"Calm down, we're perfectly fine," Elphaba said.

Liiku closed his right eye tightly, with his left already bandaged up. "I'm not opening my eyes until we get to Kiamo Ko."

"Afraid of heights?"

"No, I'm terrified of flying on a flimsy piece of wood that might just suddenly break underneath me and send me hurtling towards my death," Liiku said stiffly. Elphaba laughed. "It's not funny. I can't see how you stand it."

She just shook her head and kept flying. The entire trip to the castle was two hours, two very long, stressful, and terrifying hours for poor Liiku. He kept himself busy by burying his head in Elphaba's cloak and hair to keep himself looking down at the earth hundreds offeet below him. When the castle finally came into view, he couldn't help but let out a loud sigh of relief.

Elphaba steered the broom through the same window she had flewn out of, and gently touched down on the tile floors. Once safely on solid ground, Liiku jumped off the broom and kissed the floor.

"Oh, thank you Unnamed God! Solid earth!" he said.

"Was it really that bad?" Elphaba asked in an amused tone.

"Ugh, find something better to fly on. Grow wings, I don't care. Just never make me go on that stupid thing ever again," he groaned. He then stood, and took the bandage off around his left eye. The cut across his eye had turned into a large ugly red scab, but at least it was healing. He stared at the world around him, his expression onof shock and . . . dread?

"Liiku?" Elphaba asked tentatively.

"Are . . . are both my eyes open?" he asked weakly.

"Of course they are," Elphaba said. "But why . . . ?"

Liiku raised a hand and pressed it against his left eye, collapsing to his knees. "I . . . I can't see!"

_"What?" _Elphaba breathed.

He looked up at her, with his icy blue eyes, and that's when Elphaba saw it, too. His right eye was a bright and shining shade of blue, while his left eye looked like it was covered in frost. It was blank, hollow. Dead.

"I'm _blind_," Liiku whispered. _"My left eye is blind!"_


	19. Chapter 19

Glinda sat nervously in her bedroom, fidgeting with her perfectly curled blond hair. Never before had she felt so conflicted before. She was loved and adored by every single citizen in Oz, but yet, she still felt so alone. She wasn't able to talk to anyone, not even Fiyero. And she missed him terribly. With every passing day, the aching in her heart seemed to only grow. She hadn't seen him since she left for the Emerald City all those years ago. And Morrible had kept her busy with daunting tasks and ceaseless magic lessons. But she wasn't like Elphaba. She just didn't have her talent or power. Despite this, Morrible and the Wizard had convinced the people that she was a great and powerful witch, and was the only reason why the Wicked Witch didn't attack the Palace outright.

She wanted to say something, to say that Elphaba was a good person, to say she was innocent. But she was terrified. If she did tell the truth, she would be cast out or even killed.

So all she could do was stand there and wave, and pretend everything was ok.

She missed her friends. She missed Elphie. She missed Fiyero. She wanted to do something besides stand there and look pretty for the Wizard.

Finally, after much waiting, Madame Morrible finally came in to get her. "My dear, come along, we have quite a situation on our hands."

"And what would that be, Madame?" she asked dully.

"Do you remember someone by the name Liiku Thriggs?"

Glinda's heart leapt. "He was one of my friends from Shiz! And he's a famous reporter at the Emerald City _Post_!"

"Well, my dear, he was recently arrested for attempting to undermine his competitor, the _Herald_. And he was spreading lies. Nasty habit of his, really."

"What kind of lies?" Glinda asked carefully.

"He claimed the Witch to be innocent," Morrible said with disgust.

"And she is!" Glinda blurted. "You know that! She's innocent!"

"Glinda," Madame Morrible said in an icy voice. "She is evil. Corrupt. And must be stopped. Is that clear?"

"She's my friend!" Glinda said. Angry tears stung her eyes. "You know the truth! You're the one spreading lies! _You're_ the wicked one!"

Morrible raised a hand and struck her hard across her cheek. Glinda cried out--more of shock than pain--and began to cry.

"I would advise against saying such things in public," Madame Morrible said coldly. "Or your pretty little neck will be the one in the noose. Is that clear?"

"Y-yes, Madame," she whimpered.

"Good. As I was saying before I was _rudely_ interrupted, Liiku was arrested, but he escaped when the Witch attacked our beloved city."

_She didn't attack anything! She was harmlessly flying around the city shooting fireworks into the air! She didn't even scortch a single building!_ Glinda thought angrily.

"And now, we must send a message to him. We must tell him he must not spread lies."

"What are you talking about?"

Morrible grinned cruelly. "You shall see. I need you to go out to the people and assure them that the Witch will be found, captured, and killed. And any supporters will be eliminated."

Glinda gasped. "Madame, you're not asking me to . . . _threaten_ the people?"

"Not it you say it properly. Now, go. And remember, Glinda, what is at stake here," she added, and slipped out of the room.

Glinda hung her head, and let out a deep sigh. Turning to the mirror yet again, she adjusted her hair and make-up.

She hated herself so much for being weak. Why couldn't she be strong like Elphie? Why couldn't she find the strength to stand up for herself?

* * *

"Gentlemen." The guards instantly snapped to attention. Each had their guns at their shoulders, and their swords at their sides. Madame Morrible smiled proudly. "You all have an important assignment ahead of you. A dangerous criminal has escaped, and we must silence him. We must deliver a message to him! We must make it clear that this traitorous scum spreads no more lies and defames our great and noble Wizard! I trust you will do the best you can! Captain Fiyero is unable to lead you because he is dealing with more practical matters at the moment, so Lieutenant Commander Nikolai Ricco will lead you. Move out."

They left in a straight and orderly line. Morrible allowed herself a proud smile. Surely _this_ would silence that pest for good.

* * *

Elphaba gently rubbed Liiku's back, spreading a special herbal mixture across his many scars to dull the pain. Liiku closed his eyes, and remained motionless until Elphaba was finished.

"I don't know any spells that can heal wounds like this," she said apologetically. "But I'll keep looking."

Liiku was silent. Elphaba shook her head, and continued to gently massage his sore back. Once she was finished, she helped him bandage himself up, wrapping bandages and gauze all around his torso. There was hardly any skin that was spared from the guard's cruel tortures. Liiku adjusted the bandages over himself, and slipped on a shirt.

"Thank you," he muttered weakly. He turned around, and Elphaba caught sight of his scar over his eye yet again. She attempted to heal up his wound, but it did nothing for his blind eye. There was nothing she could do for that, either. And she hated feeling so useless.

"I'm sorry I can't do more for you," she said.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "And don't worry about _this_," he added, pointing to his left eye. "At least I have a spare one." He managed a weak chuckle, but Elphaba didn't even smile.

"So what do you plan to do now?" she asked him.

"I have no idea. I guess I can help you with your spells and magic, and with your Animal campaign. Other than that . . . I don't know."

She nodded. "Alright, I guess you can help me decipher the Grimmerie. But it's unlike any other book I've seen before." She lead him over to a nearby table, where books and papers were scattered all over the place. "The words seem to move. And sometimes, if you go to one page, and then come back to it later, a different spell will be in its place. This book is indeed very magical, and very powerful."

Liiku leaned over Elphaba's shoulder and looked down at the weathered pages. The pages were covered with strange symbols, that did in fact almost look like it was swirling around the page. Liiku leaned closer curiously.

"Strange. I have never seen this language before . . . but . . . I can read it," he said quietly.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah." He leaned in closer, and glanced at a peticular paragraph. "_As tah may du kin tes unt emish letti._ 'Bring me life and keep me from death.' It's weird. How do I know a language I've never seen before?" He grabbed a blank sheet of paper, and a pen, and began to write. "Although, I think it would be better if I had my own notes and supplies. I'd like to get some of my own things from my own place, if you don't mind."

Elphaba glanced out the window. It was going to be dawn soon, and flying in broad daylight was not a good idea. "Ok, we can get you home to grab your things late tonight."

"And I'm hoping you have a better alternative for flying than that stupid broom of yours," Liiku moaned.

"Well, what do you suggest?" Elphaba asked casually.

"Anything comfortale. Like . . . a chair." Elphaba laughed. "Hey! I'm open to ideas, as well! Besides, a broom isn't that much different."

She shrugged. "I know, but the image of you sitting in a flying chair is just too hilarious," she laughed. "But if flying on a broom makes you so uncomfortable how about . . . a flying carpet?"

"Ah, yeah, I remember my mom telling me a story about this guy and a flying carpet," he said nostalgically. "Why the hell not?"

She shrugged, and pulled out an old dusty carpet from her bedroom. Reciting the same levitation spell she had used on her broom, she cast it over the rug. At first nothing happened, but when Liiku went to pick it up, it hovered in mid-air. He laughed.

"Hey, it worked!" he said.

"Of course it did. And lucky for you, you didn't end up growing _wings_," Elphaba said lightly.

"That'd be pretty cool," he said.

"And if you have wings, how are you going to hide from the Wizard?"

"I would wear a trenchcoat."

Elphaba laughed.

* * *

Under the cover of a starless sky, Elphaba and Liiku flew silently across the sky, with Elphaba flying her trusty broom, and Liiku riding his new flying carpet. No stranger sight had ever been seen in Oz.

Liiku lay flat on his stomach and clutched the front in his hands, and tugged on it to direct it where to go. And he had to admit, this felt a hell of a lot safer than flying on a broom. Although he could only imagine how silly he looked.

The trip flew by quickly (quite literally, too) and soon, Liiku reached his apartment. He silently directed Elphaba to land in the alley behind his apartment and then they would sneak in. Liiku stashed his carpet behind an old dumpster, and so did Elphaba. As silently as shadows, they slipped through the back entrance and made their way to the third floor, where his apartment was located.

But in the middle of the hallway, Liiku stopped.

"What is it?" Elphaba whispered.

"I don't know. But . . . I don't like it," he said. "I got a bad feeling, like . . . you know what, never mind, let's just go."

He approached his apartment door, and, very slowly and deliberately, opened it up.

Elphaba nearly screamed, and Liiku pulled away, unable to tear his eyes away from the living nightmare before him.

In front of him was a blood bath. Three bodies were strewn across the floors, covered in blood. It was everywhere. Across the floors, covering the walls, everything was covered in the red liquid. The bodies were horribly mutilated and disfigured. Liiku choked back bile rising in his throat.

_Blood. So much blood._

"What the hell?!" Elphaba cried in a very quiet and hoarse whisper. "Who would do such a thing?!"

Liiku stepped over the floor carefully, walking closer and closer to the bodies. A stray sliver of light from the moon illuminated the bloodied corpses. And when he distinguished each of the three faces, he screamed.

**_"NO!"_**

He crashed to his knees, and scooped up the nearest body in his arms, which looked like a young girl. Liiku rocked back and forth, clutching the body and weeping uncontrollably. "No! No, Bieynn! _No!"_

_Bieynn?! _Liiku's little sister?! Elphaba felt very weak and faint and approached the other two bodies. There was no mistaking it.

The three bodies, all three women, were Liiku's sister, mother, and grandmother.

All horribly murdered.

Liiku gasped and sobbed louder, and crawled over to his mother and grandmother. "Why?! Goddamn it, _why_?! They didn't fucking do anything! They were innocent!! _INNOCENT_!"

"Liiku, look . . ." Elphaba muttered weakly.

Liiku rose his head, and saw, written in his slaughtered family's blood, were words scrawled across the far wall. They read: _**THIS IS THE PRICE TO PAY FOR SPREADING LIES.**_

His grief turned to uncontrollable rage. His entire body shook, his teeth clenched and his hands gripping into fists. "The price to pay for spreading lies?! MURDERING AN INNOCENT FAMILY?!" He stood, soaked with his family's blood and a wild insane fire in his eye. "How dare they?! HOW DARE THEY?! I'll kill them!! I'll kill them all! I'll slaughter every last god damned Guard! DAMN THEM ALL!"

"Liiku, please, be quiet! Someone will hear us!" Elphaba cautioned.

"I'll kill them! I'll kill them all! How dare they?! How dare they?!" He collapsed, and broke out into wracking sobs. Elphaba gripped his shoulder, staring in horror at the mangled bodies.

"The Wizard killed your family just because you supported me," she said. And now, she could feel her own tears slide down her cheeks. "They didn't deserve this!"

"Kill him, Elphaba," Liiku seethed. "Kill that bastard. Kill him for what he has done! If you won't, I will!"

"Liiku," Elphaba said. "Please. Calm down."

"CALM DOWN?!" he roared. "They're _dead_! All of them! **_Dead_**! The Wizard killed them! _He killed my family!_ And I will not rest until I have my revenge!"

* * *

It wasn't until several hours later that Liiku's rage finally subsided. He cleaned the blood off himself, and wrapped the bodies of his family in clean white sheets, and carried them outside. There, he placed them on top of his flying carpet, and flew them out of the city, and back to Kiamo Ko. Once safely hidden in the western mountain's stony and forested peaks, he and Elphaba buried the bodies.

But Liiku's fury at the Emerald City Guards had not lessened one bit.

He will avenge his family, and he will kill the Wizard.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey, guys, how's it going? Long time right? Heh heh heh . . . I'm so sorry, I've been busy! I made this chapter extra-long just for you! Again, sorry for the long update, but I'll try to get back on schedule!**

* * *

Fiyero stormed out of the Palace armory, feeling much more frustrated than he should have been, but with good reason. Sending the Captain to do such a meaningless task as inventory the armory, what was Morrible thinking? The task took him a good three hours, and after counting all of the guns and swords all he wanted to do was go home. And lucky for him, he had a few days off, which meant he could go to Kiamo Ko and see Elphaba again.

Just the thought of seeing her beautiful face again made him giddy with excitement. Sure, Liiku would be there, but what did that matter?

The trip from the Emerald City to Kiamo Ko took six hours by train, and another two hours by horse. Fiyero urged his mount at a steady gallop, making good time and getting to the old forgotten castle just before dark. Dismounting, he tied his horse up to a nearby tree and casually strolled inside. As expected, no one was in the main hall. It was littered with a few more tables and books than Fiyero rememered, and he laughed under his breath to see Elphaba making good use of the castle and the library.

"Hello? Anyone here?" he called out. Movement caught his attention. Liiku came out of one of the rooms on the second floor and was leaning against the balcony. "Oh, hello, Liiku, have you seen Elphaba?"

"No," he said flatly. "She left to go help out an Animal encampment under attack by your _precious soldiers_," he added with a snarl. As he said this, he climbed down the stairs and mad a bee-line for Fiyero.

"You know I don't like what they are doing anymore than you are," Fiyero said in an annoyed voice. "I have--

_"MURDERER!" _Liiku cried, and struck Fiyero across the face with a powerful punch. Fiyero stumbled backwards, surprised at the sudden attack.

"Liiku, what the f--"

He swung again, catching him in the gut. Fiyero doubled over, gasping for air. He stared up at him, and saw his icy blue eyes wide with madness and fury. Liiku swung again, but this time, Fiyero managed to deflect it.

"Stop it! What's wrong with you?!" Fiyer yelled.

Liiku grabbed Fiyero by the collar and slammed him against the wall. "Your men! Your fault!"

"What are you talking about?" Fiyero yelled angrily. Liiku would have none of it. He dragged Fiyero over to a table and slammed him down against it, nearly breaking it in the process.

_"YOUR FAULT THEY ARE ALL DEAD!" _Liiku roared. He punched Fiyero viciously again, and Fiyero swung back, knocking Liiku off.

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about!" Fiyero said angrily.

Liiku looked like he had gone insane, with his teeth grinding against each other, his hands clenched so tightly they were drawing blood, and the reddish sheen in his murderous eyes. "You killed them! You killed them! They were innocent! _But you killed them!!!"_

"I didn't kill anyone!" Fiyero yelled.

"You might as well have! Your men! Your fault!" Liiku charged again, fists raised, but now Fiyero's military instincts took hold and he easily blocked the attack. Liiku swung wildly again, and Fiyero managed to duck out of the way.

"Liiku! Stop this right now and just talk to me!" Fiyero pleaded desperately. Something was wrong with him. Liiku was never like this. Fiyero had never before seen him look so insane, like he had lost all sense of his humanity. But beneath all that anger and insanity was the most profound look of sadness and grief Fiyero had ever seen in Liiku. His shoulders were heaving up and down with deep shuddery gasps of breath. Finally, after an intense stare-down, Liiku violently shoved his way past Fiyero and headed back up the stairs.

"Do not under any circumstances disturb me," he said in a low and dangerous voice. He disappeared down the hall, and after a brief moment of silence, Fiyero heard the loud slamming of a door.

He wasn't too sure what to do. Liiku had outright attacked him. Fiyero didn't know whether he should confront him and demand an apology, but decided that upsetting him further was not the best idea. Regardless, he was going to have a serious talk with Elphaba when she got back.

* * *

Elphaba didn't return until much later that day, well into the evening and long after the sun had set. She entered the castle to see Fiyero sitting at a table with his head resting on his arms, apparently fast asleep. Elphaba smirked and gently woke him up. His eyes slowly opened, and he smiled broadly to see her standing there.

"Hey," he said simply, and rubbed his eyes, stretching as he did so.

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," she said with a smile.

"Of course not," Fiyero said. "And I'm glad to see you're alright. Oh, and, what the hell's up with Liiku?"

Elphaba's smile vanished. "Liiku? What happened?"

"He attacked me, that's what he did," Fiyero said thinly. "He just stormed up to me and started hitting me. What's gotten into him?"

Elphaba sighed, and folded her arms across her chest. "His family is dead," she said in a quiet voice.

Fiyero's jaw dropped. "What?"

"His family was murdered. Horribly. Gale Force, without a doubt," Elphaba said in the same dead and quiet voice. She shuddered, and her eyes glazed over. "I had never seen anything so horrible before. Liiku was devastated."

Fiyero shook his head. "Why would the Gale Force kill his family?"

"Just because Liiku was trying to help me," Elphaba said angrily. Her hands clutched onto her arms tighter, and she was shaking slightly with anger. "Just because he was trying to help me, they were killed."

Fiyero clenched his fists. "Well, I'm going to have a nice talk with whoever ordered my men to kill an innocent family," he said angrily. He then paced around in a circle, wringing his hair. "Who would do something so heartless?!"

"Where were you when it happened?" Elphaba asked him suddenly. "Where were you last night?"

"Morrible ordered me to inventory the armory," Fiyero said. And then, he realized what had happened. Morrible ordered the hit. "Obviously she didn't want me to interfere with her little plan. That witch, I'll skin her alive once I get back to the Palace!" He paused, and cast his gaze up to where Liiku had retreated. "How has he been? Not well, that much I gathered."

Elphaba sighed. "He won't talk to me. He never comes out of his room. I don't know what I can do for him."

"I don't think you can," Fiyero said gently. "Just . . . give him time. I'm sure trying to comfort him won't do any good. He just needs to be alone and think things over."

"I'm worried about him," Elphaba said.

Fiyero wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her lean frame close to his own. "I'm sure he will be alright. Give him time to calm down."

"He was so furious with what the Gale Force did he vowed to kill the Wizard. I think he was very serious with that promise," Elphaba said.

Fiyero couldn't contain a dry laugh. "And how's he going to do that? The Palace is too carefully guarded. He won't be able to pull it off by himself, if that's what he's thinking."

"Perhaps not by himself, but what about all three of us?" Elphaba asked seriously.

"Are--are you seriously considering attempting to assassinate the Wizard?" Fiyero asked in a stunned voice. "Elphaba, it's suicide!"

"He must be stopped!" Elphaba said, turning on Fiyero. "He's killed far too many innocent people and Animals already! Fiyero, if we don't do something, and do it now, who will?"

Fiyero slumped his shoulders in defeat, but was still shaking his head with uncertainty. "Alright. But it's going to be dangerous. We need a lot of planning before we attempt anything."

"Of course," Elphaba said. "And I am planning to sneak into the Palace soon, anyway."

"What? Why?"

"I have to free those Monkeys. They have no right to be caged up like that!" she said resolutely. "I'm doing it in three days, whether you like it or not."

"I don't like it," Fiyero said sternly. "But . . . I know I can't stop you. I'll make sure the Guards are distracted, then. I can give you an hour window into the Wizard's throne room, but no more, I am afraid."

"That'll be sufficient enough," Elphaba said. "I hope you have the Palace blueprints or something."

"All up here," Fiyero said proudly, pointing to his head.

"Wel, _that's_ certainly not going to do."

* * *

It had taken time and countless hours of preparation, but finally, Elphaba was ready for her mission of freeing the poor Monkeys from the Wizard's grasp. In all the three days Elphaba and Fiyero had spent working on their plan, they hadn't seen or heard Liiku much. Elphaba had knocked on his bedroom door and was greeted with a very rude and gruff "Go away!"

So they let him be, and only saw him step down in the kitchen to grab something to eat and drink. It was never much; just a roll and a glass of water, ane he wouldn't even speak to them or acknowledge their presence. Elphba knew there was no point in trying to talk with him and left him alone.

"Are you ready for this?" Fiyero asked as Elphaba got ready to go.

"I have everything I need, thank you. I'll be alright," Elphaba said.

Fiyero nodded. "I'll head back to the city, then. Wait until nightfall. Hopefully, we won't see each other tonight," he added with a quirky grin. Elphaba smiled and kissed him.

"I hope I don't see you either," she teased, and he left. Now she had to wait until well into the evening before she journeyed into the Emerald City. She passed the time by going over all the plans and the blueprints of the Palace, and reciting potentially useful spells under her breath repeatedly.

But she was still incredibly restless. She paced back and forth across her study, staring down at her feet and mentally urging the clocks to tick faster. But it was frustrating. With a heavy sigh, she decided to talk to Liiku. Or try to.

She knocked gingerly on his door. He didn't answer. "Liiku, can we talk?" she asked. "Come on, you haven't said a word to us this whole time. Please come out."

There was a brief moment of silence, and the door clicked open. He stepped out, and looked at Elphaba with a dead expression. He stood there, arms folded across his chest.

"What do you want?" he asked. His voice was dry and cracked when he spoke.

"I'm leaving soon. I'm going to the Emerald City to free the Monkeys."

"I know." His voice isn't harsh. Just empty.

"And I'm worried about you. You never leave your room, you keep yourself locked up all the time . . . That's not healthy. You know you can talk to me."

"What's there to talk about?" Liiku said sharply. "My mother and sister and grandmother are dead. And heaven knows where the hell Kivvist is, if he's not dead, too."

"I know you're upset, but you can't just keep this all bottled in," Elphaba said. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just talk to me. Please."

Liiku didn't say anything for a moment, but Elphaba could see his eyes fill with pain. "It's all my fault," he finally whispered. "I'm such a failure. Everything I tried to do for you has ended in disaster. I'm so sorry."

"It's not all your fault," she said gently.

"They're dead because of me."

"The Guards killed them. No one else."

Liiku looked away, and started shaking. "I lost everything. I lost my only family. I lost my job, my home, even my damn eye. All because I'm an idiot."

Elphaba slid her arms around his shoulders and pulled him close. "You are a brilliant man, Liiku. However bad things seem to be, I am here for you. You are one of the very few true friends I have on this god-forsaken earth."

Liiku smiled, and hugged her back. "And you are probably the only real friend I have left. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise you that. Not while I'm still standing. I wish I could join you on your mission, but I don't think I'll be much use to you. But, in any case, good luck."

Elphaba smiled, and with one last hug, she grabbed her broom and left. It was time.

* * *

Fiyero approached his squadron of men, all which had been idly guarding the Palace. He assembled them onto the training grounds which was about a quarter mile from the Palace.

"Gentlemen, every day there is a persistent threat of an enemy attacking our city!" Fiyero said to them. "You need to be the best damn soldiers to ever walk this earth if you wish to protect our great and wonderful Wizard! Now, you will show me just how prepared you are for an enemy attack! Initiate training run run Code Green!"

"Yes, sir!" all of the men saluted at once. They each dropped their weapons on the ground and began their first part of twelve of the training exersize: a three-mile run.

_If Elphaba does get caught, at least the men will be worn down,_ Fiyero thought. _Hopefully, I won't need to rely on that._

_-----------_

Elphaba consulted her map once more. She was currently in an air vent, right over one of the servant's quarters. Carefully lifting up a vent, she dropped into the room and quickly scanned her surroundings. No one. Good. Without wasting a second, she sprinted through the corridors, keeping to the shadows as much as she could. As promised, the place was barren of all guards, and all she had to worry about was the occassional servant that passed through. It amazed her how easily she could slip into the shadows to avoid detection. She guessed that her emerald skin did blend in pretty well with the surrounding walls, and for once, Elphaba was thankful for that.

She came upon the side-entrance to the main throne room, where she knew the Monkeys would be held. She slipped inside, and saw that this room, too, was completely empty. Luck must be on her side tonight.

She scoured the room for a device to open up the Monkeys' cage, but she didn't know where to begin. The entire place seemed to be full of clockwork mechanisms, and she didn't even know what she should be looking for.

"I KNEW YOU WOULD BE BACK," a deep, booming voice said. Elphaba jumped and spun around. Standing right next to the giant mechanical Wizard head was the real Wizard himself, an old, scrawny man with a balding scalp wearing a slate-grey suit. He was speaking into a microphone, which was why his voice was so loud.

Elphaba readied herself for anything the Wizard might pull. "If you want to kill me, ou should have done it by now," she said angrily.

"Kill you? No, my dear, I have no desire to kill you," he said. "I only wish to help you."

"Like you _helped_ all those poor defenseless Animals?! Like how you _helped_ those Monkeys you keep locked away?!" Elphaba snaped. _"Like how you killed Liiku's family?!"_

"Elphaba, please, this is all a serious misunderstanding," the Wizard said. "I had nothing to do with the horrible murder of Liiku's family. I am deeply sorry Morrible would do such a thing."

"Liar," Elphaba hissed.

"Please, listen to me," he said gently. "I did not mean to harm anyone. And if you'll let me, I would like to help you. I can erase your title as Wicked Witch and we can finally work together. We can be a great team, and bring Oz to a new level of glory."

"Why do you want to help me?" Elphaba challenged.

"Because I know you are only trying to do good. And I know you have a good heart. Aren't you tired of fighting this battle all by yourself? Aren't you tired of carrying all this weight on your shoulders? Aren't you tired of being alone all the time? Wouldn't you like it of someone took care of you, instead of you having only yourself to trust?"

Elphaba wanted to retort, but she couldn't help but find herself longing for what the Wizard said to be true. She wanted to do good . . . she didn't want to be the villain anymore . . .

_He tortured the Monkeys!_

"Elphaba, please, join me. We can work together," he said, holding out his hand.

_He imprisoned and tortured Liiku!_

"Think of how much we can do!"

_He killed Liiku's family!_

"You will be famous! Respected! Admired! And everyone will celebrate your name for years to come!"

Elphaba closed her eyes. "Alright. I'll accept your proposition. But only under one circumstance."

"Name it."

"You set those poor Monkeys free," Elphaba said sternly.

The Wizard looked somewhat reluctant to do so, but he nodded, stepping over to the side of a room. He grabbed a large lever, and flipped it. "Done."

The false wall behind the mechanical Wizard head suddenly rose with the loud whir of gears and chains. Behind the wall was a cage full of flying Monkeys, but that too lifted open, releasing all the Monkeys inside. They instantly ran out of the room and took off, flying out of a window the Wizard had opened with another lever.

"Fly! Fly! You're free! You're all free!" Elphaba shouted to the Monkeys. She could have sworn that each Monkey that flew past her gave her a smile of thanks, and one even saluted to her. Finally. She did something for them.

But there was one that didn't leave the cage. It was huddled under a blanket, and Elphaba rushed up to it. "Come on, it's ok, you're free!" she said.

"Wait, Elphaba, don't--!"

She pulled off the blanket, and screamed. Underneath was Doctor Dillamond. He wasn't moving. Or breathing.

"Doctor . . . ?" Elphaba asked weakly. She grabbed his shoulder, and shook him gently. "Doctor Dillamond, wake up!"

But he didn't move. He was dead.

Elphaba's hands clenched into fists, and her entire body shook with rage. "I will never join you!" she cried. "AND I WILL FIGHT YOU UNTIL THE DAY I DIE!"

The Wizard, terrified of Elphaba's sudden turn, leapt behind the mechanical head. "GUARDS! GUARDS! THE WITCH HAS BROKEN INTO THE PALACE!"

Elphaba grabbed her broom and raced out of the Palace. Her mission was done. And with a new fire, she was determined to overthrow the Wizard once and for all.

* * *

The alarm sounded, and Fiyero and his men were instantly on alert. They charged straight towards the Palace, guns blazing, and ready to fight. Fiyero stayed well in front, leading the charge, but his heart thundered in his chest. He prayed Elphaba would be alright.

"There she is!" one of the men said.

Fiyero swung around, and saw Elphaba flying through the air out of the Palace. Before Fiyero could say anything to his men, he heard one of the guns fire, and to his horror, he saw Elphaba recoil, and clutch her stomach. She lost control, and plummeted to the ground.

_NO!_

Then, very suddenly, a loud roar echoed through the city. Fiyero as well as the rest of his men froze. What in the hell was that? It sounded like a Lion's roar, but it was much too loud, and Lions could never make a roar sound so shrill. He glanced up and looked up to the sky. And he felt his jaw drop.

"What the hell--?!"

* * *

Elphaba felt the bullet pierce her side, and her hand immediately clutched the wound. She could feel her warm blood pour between her fingers. This was bad. She was losing a lot of blood. Already her vision was growing fuzzy. She momentarily lost control of her broom and slid off, but her broom swooped in under her and saved her before she fell to her death. But she had to get down to the ground and at least stop the bleeding.

A roar echoed throughout the city. She felt it in her bones more than heard it. A haunting and chilling cry filled with rage. Elphaba looked up, and saw a monsterish black figure soar through the sky. Its massive wings pulsed through the sky, and the creature let out another bone-chilling cry.

It was a dragon. A real dragon.

It wasn't possible. They were extinct. They died off centuries ago. It's not possible--

But there it was. At least thirty feet long and covered in boney spikes, it descended upon the guards and let out another thunderous shriek. The guards, being the cowards they were, took off and ran, terrified of the enormous beast. Fiyero did not run; he was frozen with shock and disbelief. The dragon snorted and turned away, uninterested in him.

Elphaba could hardly breathe. Or trust her eyes, for that matter. The dragon approached her, staring down at her with its blazing yellow eyes.

She fainted.


	21. Chapter 21

Glinda heard the thunderous roar echo through the city, vibrating through the very walls of the Palace itself. Immediately, Glinda leapt to her feet and stood very still. _What in Oz's name was that?_ she wondered. _That couldn't have possibly been an Animal. Animals weren't capable of making such horible noises._

Were they?

The roar came again, a deep, booming wail of rage that rang through her very bones, making her shudder with fear. Grabbing her wand, she rushed out of the Palace. The first thing she saw was a gigantic black shadow flying through the air, but before she could make heads or tails of the mysterious apparition, it vanished. Glinda could only stare into the sky and wonder if it was real or if her eyes had been playing tricks on her.

She looked up and down the streets, not a soul in sight. Except for one. Fiyero, who was sitting in the middle of the road and staring blankly up at the sky.

Glinda felt a smile spread across her face. Fiyero! She hadn't seen him in so long! She raced up to him, arms outstretched. "Fiyero!" she cried exuberantly. "It's wonderful to see you again!"

But his expression made her stop. His face was chalk-white, and his eyes were wide with fear. He stared up at the sky where the black shadow had been, and he didn't even acknowledge Glinda's presence as she raced to his side. Glinda grew cautious, and approached him more slowly. "Fifi, are you ok?"

He didn't answer. He just kept staring up at the sky, that same look of terror and disbelief on his face.

"Fiyero?" she asked, shaking his shoulder. "Are you ok?"

"A . . . a _dragon_," he stuttered weakly. "It was a bloody _dragon_ . . ."

"Fiyero, what are you talking about?"

"I saw it! A dragon! It just came out of nowhere . . . and . . ."

Glinda shook her head. "Fiyero, there's no such thing as dragons--"

"I saw it!" Fiyero yelled, leaping to his feet. "I know what I saw! A black dragon was here! And--" The fear on his face grew even more intense. _"And the dragon took her!"_

"What are you talking about?" Glinda cried. Fiyero wasn't making any sense. He had seen a dragon? It wasn't possible.

"Elphaba was here and she was trying to set the monkeys free, and she was escaping, and then the dragon showed up, and--"

"Wait, Elphie?!" Glinda cried. "She was here?!"

"Yes! But now she's gone!" Fiyero yelled. "That damned thing took her away! We have to go after it and find her!"

"Fiyero, how are we going to find her?" Glinda cried. "She could be anywhere by now!"

"I'm going to find her, Glinda! The longer she's in the hands of that _thing_--" Fiyero paused. He remembered seeing Elphaba fall off her broom, remembered seeing the dragon walk up to her, and pick her up in its arms. "I have to get her back! She could die!"

Glinda bit her lip. All this time, her love for Fiyero had only grown, but now, seeing him so determined to find her old friend . . . it was quite clear to her Fiyero did not feel the same about her.

"Then go," Glinda whispered hoarsely. "Go find her! You deserve each other."

Fiyero turned to her. "Glinda?"

"You love her, don't you?" Glinda said accusingly. Fiyero flinched, but did not tear his gaze away from her.

"I do," Fiyero said. "Glinda, please. I love her. And I need to find her. If that creature hurts her . . . or if something bad happens to her . . . I don't want to think about it."

Glinda clutched her fists. The tears came, and she furiously blinked them away. "Then go find her."

"Look, I'm sorry, but--"

"Why are you still here?!" Glinda snapped suddenly. "Go find Elphie before that dragon hurts her! _Go!"_

Fiyero felt a tiny smile cross his lips, and he bolted inside the Palace to gather up all the equipment he would need to track the dragon down.

_They deserve each other,_ Glinda thought to herself as she wiped the tears away.

* * *

Elphaba felt herself slowly come to, and her eyes fluttered open. The world around her was still dark and murky, but she saw a faint glowing light out of the corner of her eye. She slowly sat up, rubbing her sore eyes. Her vision swam a little before finally focusing and casting off the last of her dizziness. She was in the middle of a large, grassy field, and sitting next to a small, yet warm fire.

"Good. You are awake. I was afraid the wound was too severe for you to handle. But you are a surprisingly strong human."

Elphaba jumped and twisted around. Laying on the grass behind her was the black dragon. The dragon gave her a wide grin, revealing his enormous fangs. "It is good to see you are feeling alright." The dragon's voice was deep and almost as if he was growling every word it said, but the dragon had a certain warmth in its voice that put Elphaba at ease.

Elphaba stared in awe at the creature. So many questions popped into her head, and after a moment of silence, she finally said to it, "You can't be real. Dragons are dead."

The dragon looked away, its yellow eyes turning angry. "I am the very last of my kind. All my brothers and sisters were killed by your kind long ago."

"I'm sorry," she said immediately.

"You never killed a dragon. You have nothing to apologize for," it growled. It turned its gaze back to her. "I have been hiding ever since I was a hatchling. I had no choice, since you humans seemed so eager to hunt down and kill every last one of us, even though we did no harm to your race." At this, its gaze softened as it looked at Elphaba and gave her another small grin. "We have much more in common than you might think. Both cast out, rejected and reviled by the general populous, both of us innocent of any crime they accuse us of, both of us misunderstood forces of nature."

Elphaba only nodded, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact she was talking with a creature long thought to be extinct. "Is . . . is that why you helped me?" she asked it.

"Among several other reasons," it shrugged. "I despise humans more than you can imagine. Ruining this wonderful land and fighting petty battles over the most absurd things, and not to mention humans are quick to hunt down and kill anything and everything they fear or don't understand. And I especially despise the Wizard. I know what he has done for the Animals, and it has sickened me. You were the first one to ever stand up to him. And for that, I am deeply grateful for. You are one of the few good humans I have seen."

"Not all humans are bad," Elphaba said defensively. "There are many good people in this world."

"That I do not deny," the dragon said. "I have seen both the good and bad of your race. But evil seems to be corrupting even the purest human soul."

"Yes, the Wizard hasn't been doing anything particularly _wonderful _lately," Elphaba said bitterly. This earned a deep, booming laugh from the dragon. Elphaba laughed as well, but instantly felt a sharp pain in her side. She winced, and looked down at herself where she had been shot. The dragon had used a strip of fabric from her cape and tied it around her waist, stopping the bleeding. It already looked like it was healing all on its own, and she was silently thankful the injury was nothing very serious.

"Forgive my poor first-aid skills," the dragon said. He held up his giant front paws armed with deadly black talons. "But my hands are a bit too bulky to very dexterous."

"It's alright, and thank you." Elphaba said. There was a short pause. "Do you have a name?"

"No," the dragon said simply.

"How can you not have a name?" Elphaba asked it, perplexed.

"I was never given one."

"You need a name, I can't just simply call you _dragon_," Elphaba said. She thought for a moment, studying the creature. His scaly hide was dark as pitch and shone in the faint moonlight. It came to her. "Shade. How does that sound?"

"Shade," the dragon repeated slowly, tasting the word in his mouth. He smiled. "I like that."

Elphaba reached out a hand to touch him, but she hesitated for a second. She was afraid if she touched him, he wouldn't be there. That this all was just some great big elaborate dream. And she didn't want it to end.

The dragon noticed her reluctance and laughed, pressing the tip of his long and pointed snout against her hands. "You have no reason to fear me. I would never dream of hurting you."

Elphaba, feeling a bit braver now that she had Shade's permission, ran her hands across his snout, feeling the hard, yet very smooth and slick scales that covered him. His enormous leathery wings were folded up against his sides, and his long serpentine tail, armed with three large scythe-like spikes, twitched back and forth.

"I never even dreamed of seeing a real dragon before," she said in a quiet voice. Shade smiled.

"You are the first human I have ever talked to. So I believe that makes us even," he said.

"But why now? Why come out of hiding, of all time?" Elphaba asked.

"I had been keeping an eye on you, knowing how dangerous and ruthless the Guards could be at times," Shade said. "I followed you into the Emerald City, keeping high into the clouds and out of sight. And when those disgraceful cretins fired at you, I refused to stand back any longer and let you die. And I have been waiting to come out of hiding for a long time now."

"But now they'll hunt you down just like me," Elphaba said. "You shouldn't have exposed yourself! You will get killed!"

"I am the last dragon on this earth!" Shade snapped. "When I am dead, so is my race! What difference does it make if I die in three decades or three days? And what kind of a pathetic life is hiding like a coward? No, Elphaba, I refuse to hide any longer. And perhaps, with my help, we can stop the Wizard and his cruelty once and for all."

Elphaba shook her head vigorously. "How can we defeat him?"

"Think. You are a powerful witch. I know what you are capable of. And I am strong enough to break into the Palace if I so pleased."

"But if we outright assassinate him, that will only prove that we are the villains," Elphaba said with frustration. "One of my friends has tried to prove me innocent, and he . . . he lost his entire family just because he helped me."

Shade tilted his head. "What exactly happened to your friend?"

Elphaba shook her head, and sat on the grassy plain, her back leaning against Shade's side. "His name is Liiku. He was my friend ever since college. He was a reporter, so he always tried to convince people through his writing that I was innocent. But it never worked. He was imprisoned, tortured, and the Gale Force killed his family. All because he was trying to prove my innocence."

Shade did not respond immediately. "It is a tragedy to hear such horrible things happen to someone you care about. The Guards are scum and dogs to that bloody Wizard. None of them deserve to live."

"There's Fiyero. He's on our side," Elphaba interjected.

Shade snorted. "I still do not trust a Guard. But, if you trust him, I suppose that is reason enough for me to tolerate him at the very least."

"Speaking of Fiyero, he must be worried about me," Elphaba said to herself. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Far from the Emerald City and safe from any humans," Shade said simply.

"I should head back home, no doubt he will be looking for me," Elphaba said. "Can you take me to the west?"

"Of course," Shade said. He lowered himself to his knees and stretched out his neck. "Go ahead and climb on."

"You want me to ride you?" Elphaba asked. "But . . . I have a broom, I can fly--"

"You are also injured and have yet to fully recover," Shade reminded her. "I do not want you to have any complications mid-flight. I insist."

Elphaba nodded, and grabbed her broom. She climbed onto her back, and sat comfortably just in front of his wings. Shade stood, and spread his bat-like wings wide. With a single flap, he shot off into the sky. Elphaba gasped, and clung Shade's neck tightly. Already they were high in the air, with Shade's powerful wings propelling them faster through the night. Riding a dragon was much different than riding her broom; with a dragon, she could feel each pulse of his wings, and how they oscillated up and down with every beat. She could feel Shade's powerful muscles work beneath her, and it was unlike anything Elphaba had ever experienced before. She had never ridden a horse before, but it was the closest thing to what it was like.

Shade tilted his head around. "Are you comfortable?"

"I'm alright," Elphaba said. Scales weren't exactly the most comfortable thing to be sitting on, but it wasn't unbearable.

"Just tell me where to go," Shade said.

"Keep flying west to the Vinkan mountains."

Shade nodded, and with another powerful pulse of his wings, took off higher into the clouds. He was relatively silent the entire flight, and Elphaba wasn't sure if she should try to strike up another conversation with him. But she decided it would be best if she let him concentrate on his flying.

"Not much of a talker for a human," Shade commented.

"I didn't want to break your concentration," Elphaba said. Shade laughed.

"I can fly while half-asleep. It hardly deserves a fraction of my attention," he said. "What is on your mind?"

"I'm still trying to believe you're real," Elphaba admitted.

"You are the only human to ever have green skin, and you're finding it hard to believe dragons were able to hide for several years undetected?" Shade laughed.

"Good point," Elphaba said. "How do you know you are the last?"

Shade was silent for a moment, and kept looking forward. "I have searched all over this country. And I could not find a single trace of another dragon."

"Perhaps they are hiding just like you were," Elphaba said. At this, Shade twisted around and looked at Elphaba with one of his golden orbs.

"I doubt it. I would have been able to find them even if they were hiding."

"Well, tell me about yourself," Elphaba said.

Shade gave a small laugh. "Not much to tell. I'm a little more than a hundred years old, which is middle-aged for a dragon. I just remember hatching, and no one was around. Learned very early as a hatchling to stay well away from humans," he added bitterly.

"What happened?" Elphaba asked.

At this, Shade turned so he was looking at her with his left eye. And that's when she noticed the very faint, hairline scar crossing over it. "They tried to kill me."

"I'm so sorry," Elphaba said.

"But of course, you must know what it's like to be hunted down just because you are different," Shade said. Elphaba nodded in agreement. "And I went into hiding. Kept myself as far from human society while still keeping an eye on it. And then I heard about you. And then you know the rest." There was a few minutes of silence before Shade spoke up again. "Are we getting close?"

Elphaba leaned over Shade's side, and examined the landscape beneath them. "Yes. I recognize the plains. We're very close. Head a little north." Shade obliged, and in another half-hour, the Vinkan mountains came into view, and the castle was just barely visible against the slate-grey rocks of the mountains. "There! Head straight for the castle!"

"How appropriate," Shade mused. With another powerful flap of his wings, they loomed closer to Kiamo Ko. Shade began his descent, and landed right in front of the castle. "Well, here you are."

"Thank you," Elphaba said as she slipped off of his back. "And thank you for saving my life."

"You do not need to thank me, child," Shade said. "It was an honor."

"Will I see you again?"

"Of course. Whenever you need my assistance, I will be there to give you my full support."

"How will I contact you?"

"You don't," Shade said simply. Elphaba stared at him blankly, and he laughed. "I will know when you will need my help, I assure you. I must be off now. Farewell." And with that, he spread his wings once more and flew off, flying behind the castle and vanishing from sight as if he were nothing more than an apparition.

Elphaba stared at the spot where Shade had disappeared behind the castle. A dragon. She met a real dragon. And not just met, but rode! A child-like excitement filled her, and she rushed into the castle. She had to tell Liiku!

She raced up the staircase, and sprinted down the hall to Liiku's room. It flew open on its own accord, no doubt due to Elphaba's magic. Liiku was laying in his bed, apparently asleep, but jumped awake when Elphaba came bursting in.

"Sweet mother of Oz, Elphaba!" Liiku groaned, rubbing his forehead.

"Liiku, I have to tell you what happened last night!" Elphaba said. "You will never believe it!"

Liiku stared at her. "I had no idea you could get so excited," he said.

"I have every reason to be!" Elphaba said happily. "Dragons aren't extinct! I met one just last night!" Liiku stared at her. "I know it sounds ludicrous, but you have to believe me! When I went to free the Monkeys from the Wizard, an enormous dragon appeared!"

"You met a _dragon_?!" Liiku repeated. "AND I _MISSED_ IT?! That is not fair!" H let out a groan of frustration. "Next time you meet this dragon, take me with you! I _have_ to meet it!"

Elphaba laughed. "I'm surprised you don't think I'm crazy."

"Well, you are a horrible liar," Liiku said. "And you have no reason for lying to me, so you had to be telling the truth. But seriously, _I have to meet it!"_


	22. Chapter 22

Fiyero had gathered up all the supplies he would need. A map, a compass, rations for four days, and enough ammunition to take down the dragon if he needed to--or so he hoped. He had no idea where to even begin, but he knew the dragon had flown south after it took Elphaba.

That disturbed him the most. Why did it take her? Why not attack the rest of the city, or any of his men? He remembered looking straight into that thing's giant yellow eyes, and how it stared straight back. But it left him alone. He was right there, but it hadn't attacked him. Why?

He knew it was useless to think of such questions. There was no way to know until he found the dragon himself. He was just about to head out and grab the fastest horse from the stables when he was stopped.

"Where are you going in such a hurry, Captain?" a luxurious and sickeningly sweet voice cooed.

Fiyero froze and inwardly groaned. MAdame Morrible. He turned around. "I am off to track down the dragon."

"Why the urgency?" she asked.

"It attacked our city. It is a threat, and it needs to be eliminated," Fiyero said. He was getting anxious. Time was ticking away. And Elphaba didn't have any time to spare.

"I'm afraid you are in the wrong here," Morrible said. "The dragon did nothing to the city. It simply flew in, and disappeared. No harm done."

"Regardless, it must be taken care of. What if it were to attack again and hurt someone?" Fiyero said.

"But the dragon also took the Witch. Perhaps it was looking for an easy meal. You know from old legends how savage those beasts can be."

Fiyero's heart did a flip inside of his chest. If the dragon had really been looking for a snack . . . No! He couldn't think that! Elphaba was alive, he knew it! But the longer she was gone, the more likely Morrible's prediction would be.

"I insist, Captain, stay where the city needs you most. Do not pursue this creature. And if we were to ever run into it again, I want you to take it _alive_. As far as I had known, dragons have been extinct for a good long time. I want to know if there are others. And if there are not . . . well, it would be quite a shame if the entire race of dragons were to simply vanish, don't you agree?"

Fiyero clenched his fists. "Yes, ma'am."

"There's a good lad," Morrible said smugly. "Get some rest. I need you all rested up to train the new recruits coming in tomorrow. Oh, and also drill into your men not to run like spineless cowards, next time."

"Will do," Fiyero muttered.

_Damn it,_ he thought. _Elphaba, wherever you are, hold on._

* * *

Liiku undid the bandages around Elphaba's stomach and examined her wound. "It looks like the dragon cauterized it so you wouldn't bleed to death," he said. "Does it hurt?"

"Only a little," Elphaba admitted. "But I'm alright."

Liiku gently scrubbed her wound with a damp cloth. "It doesn't look infected. And the wound looks like it's properly healing. You know, when I meet this dragon, I'm going to have to thank him."

Elphaba laughed. "Yes, he said it was an honor to help me."

"So you really think Shade will help us?" Liiku asked.

"I have no doub that he was being completely honest with me," she said. "He wants to stop the Wizard because of what he has been doing to the Animals. But . . ."

"But what?" Liiku pressed.

"Shade is a very . . . _unhappy _dragon," Elphaba said carefully. "He hates humans in general, and it sounds like he won't hesitate to kill any of the Guards."

"Well, he has every right to be," Liiku said. "Being forced to hide for his entire life, I don't blame him."

"I just don't want him to turn into a murderer," Elphaba said. "I'm worried about what will happen if we do try to overthrow the Wizard."

"We'll worry about that later. You need to rest and get something to eat. I'll write a letter to Fiyero telling him you're ok."

"Thank you."

Liiku left Elphaba in her room to rest and strolled down to the main hall, where Silverlight was there, waiting for him.

"How is Lady Elphaba?" the Crow asked.

"She'll be alright," Liiku said. "And I need you to deliver a message to Fiyero. Tell him what happened, and that Elphaba is alright."

"Will do," Silverlight said, bowing his head. He then flapped his wings and disappeared out the window. In the meantime, Liiku paced the main hall, thinking.

They had a dragon on their side. What now? He couldn't help but get excited. This was the big break they had been hoping for all these years.

He was getting restless. He couldn't stand being cooped up in this castle any longer. He was too worked up. He raced upstairs to Elphaba's room, but when he peered inside, he saw that she was fast asleep. Liiku smiled to himself. Well, she definitely deserved some rest. He shut the door gently and left her in peace.

The mountains were very beautiful, and he wanted to go out and explore them. Slipping on his hiking boots, he headed out. He promised to himself he'd be back in a few hours.

* * *

Fiyero examined the new recruits carefully. And the first thing he noticed was that they were all very young, some as young as sixteen. He shook his head. That was far too young to be forced into a lifestyle of brutality and hardship. Hell, they were still _kids_.

Nevertheless, he still treated them like the soldiers they would become. Drill after drill, routine after routine, Fiyero worked his new men hard. The first thing Fiyero could tell was that the young recruits had a surprising amount of endurance. No matter how hard or fast Fiyero ordered them to run through the endless obstacle courses and drills, they still had a spark in their eyes and a hop in their step. Fiyero was inwardly proud of them, but he also felt a twinge of fear creeping up his back. He was constantly afraid for Elphaba. What if someone managed to catch her or find her? He kept assuring himself Elphaba was intelligent enough to keep out of trouble, but he was worried sick over her.

Where was she now? Was she ok? Fiyero had no idea and hated himself for not being able to do anything.

After the sun had set, he retired to his office to rethink his plan. He needed to find her! He had to get away from his men, if only for a day or so.

A tapping came at his window. Fiyero turned and saw Silverlight flying just outside his window. He opened the window and the Crow plopped inside.

"What is it?" he asked sharply.

"It's Elphaba," he said, panting slightly.

Fiyero's heart leapt. "Is she ok?! Where is she?"

"Calm down, she's perfectly alright," Silverlight said. "She is back in Kiamo Ko."

"But . . . the dragon--"

"Yes, he was helping her. He rescued her and brought her to safety," Silverlight said excitedly. "He wants to help us overthrow the Wizard!"

Fiyero was stunned. "Really?" he asked. "But . . . _really_?"

Silverlight nodded with a laugh. "Yes, Shade--the dragon, that is--despises the Wizard and wishes to assist Elphaba however he can. He's on our side and we can trust him."

Fiyero could hardly believe his ears. "So the dragon saved Elphaba? Are you sure she's ok?"

"A little battered, but perfectly alright, rest assured," Silverlight said. "Breathe easy, Fiyero. Looks like things are taking a turn for the better."

There was a loud explosion just outside Fiyero's office. Fiyero jumped, and raced outside to see the source of the commotion. Men were running everywhere, a huge fire had sprung up in the middle of the training grounds, and several soldiers lay on the ground, unconscious, or worse.

"What in the name of Oz is going on?!" Fiyero cried.

A thunderous roar answered his question. The dragon, the same black dragon that had attacked only a couple days ago, was flying in circles over head, swooping down and shooting balls of fire at the terrified recruits. Horrified, Fiyero grabbed his gun and charged onto the field.

"Fiyero, what are you doing?! Stay out of the way!" Silverlight cried.

_Ally or not, I can't stand here and let this dragon kill my men!_ Fiyero thought. He didn't want anyone to die. He didn't want to see another life carelessly thrown away.

The dragon crashed onto the ground, sending out a shockwave that made the earth tremble beneath Fiyero's feet. It swung its dangerously-spiked tail at any nearby soldiers, sending them flying. Others open-fired with every piece of firepower they had, but the bullets ricochet harmlessly off the dragon's armor-like hide. It simply swatted anyone in its path like an insect, and opened its jaws to let out another jet of fire.

Fiyero took out his own pistol and shot at it, but his bullets just bounced out. _Of course,_ he thought angrily. He had his sword handy, and unsheathed it, ready to charge. The dragon snapped around, and with its massive paw, pinned Fiyero to the ground.

The dragon leered over him, revealing its monstrous fangs. "Fiyero," Shade hissed. "You are in luck. Elphaba had told me everything about you."

Fiyero gasped for air, but the dragon was crushing his lungs, making it near impossible to breathe.

"And that is the only reason why you are still alive," he continued to hiss. "She says you are an ally. I hope you can prove yourself to me. Or I'll kill you just like the rest of your pathetic men."

"They . . . they didn't do anything!" Fiyero gasped. "They were just damned kids! You had no right to kill them like that!"

"SILENCE!" the dragon roared. "They would have done their damage soon enough! How long would it have been before they killed their first Animal?! A soldier is a soldier! And that is crime enough for me!"

"You're insane!" Fiyero choked out.

The dragon leaned closer, glaring at him with his golden eyes. "I beg to differ. I am simply protecting my own interests, and protecting the rest of the Animals and Elphaba! You dare call yourself an ally when all you do is sit here and act all grand and important. You are pathetic, Fiyero Tiggular!"

The dragon released Fiyero, and shot back off into the pitch-black sky. Fiyero clenched his fists and surveyed the damage. Everything in the area was burned or on fire, and several dozen men were dead, that much Fiyero could tell. Even more were severely injured or burned. A crowd had gathered to witness the carnage and a few good citizens had helped drag the injured soldiers to safety.

"SOMEONE HELP!" Fiyero cried. "GET DOCTORS! WE NEED MEDICS!"

Already the scene was covered with more soldiers who had been in the area, and people were rushing to help. Fiyero came up to the nearest soldier laying on the ground and checked his pulse.

He had none.

Fiyero hung his head. Damn it, they were only kids! Too young to die . . .

* * *

Elphaba couldn't believe her ears. Shade, outright attack the Emerald City? And according to Silverlight's story, he had killed over a dozen soldiers--not even soldiers, but men hardly Elphaba and Fiyero's own age. As much as Elphaba wanted to convince herself that Shade was doing the right thing in protecting her from future enemies, she couldn't believe Shade would kill soldiers who haven't done anything--yet.

"Why did he go after the new recruits?" Elphaba asked, more to herself than Silverlight. "Why not go after the older guards who actually killed Animals?"

Silverlight shrugged. "Perhaps because they were an easy target."

"I know Shade hates humans but I still can't believe he would attack innocent Guards."

"In all fairness, Elphaba, they would not have remained innocent for long," Silverlight pointed out sadly.

"I know, but I never wanted anyone to die," Elphaba said.

"And what about all the innocents the Guards and the Wizard killed? Surely Shade was doing it for revenge."

"True," Elphaba muttered bitterly. But still, she didn't like this. "And where in Oz is Liiku?"

"I think he went hiking through the mountains when you are asleep," Silverlight said.

"Is he insane?!" Elphaba cried. Silverlight jumped.

"Um . . . I'm sure he was getting anxious sitting around the castle and just needed some fresh air. Don't worry so much, Liiku is a smart man and wouldn't do anything rash."

"I hope," Elphaba said. And not more than twenty minutes later, Liiku came back into the castle, a surprisingly smug look on his face. Elphaba ran up to him. "Where were you?" she demanded.

"The mountains are wonderful to look at," he said. "I just went hiking for a bit."

"You could have been seen!" Elphaba hissed. "What would you have done if a Guard found you or you were caught?"

"I'm fine, Elphaba," he said sharply. "I can look after myself. I needed to get out; I don't like being cooped up in here."

Elphaba shook her head. "Why didn't you tell me, at least?"

"What are you, my mother?" Liiku snapped. "Just to remind you, she's dead!"

Elphaba flinched. "I know. I was just worried about you."

"I can take care of myself, I don't need a babysitter," Liiku said. He sighed, and looked back and forth between Elphaba and Silverlight. "Any news?"

"Shade just attacked the Emerald City and killed several men," Elphaba said hollowly. "They were new recruits. They were barely our own age, and Shade killed them."

To Elphaba's shock, Liiku smiled. "Well, I like this guy Shade already."

"How can you say that?" Elphaba breathed.

"I don't like the Guards, he doesn't like the Guards, I think we'd get along great," he said with a light laugh. "And he does have a point. Give them one week and they'd be hunting you down like rabid dogs. He's looking out for your safety."

"I know, I just don't like it."

"I have no sympathy for those dogs," Liiku said angrily. "They deserved to die, and if I had the power to kill them, then I sure as hell would."

Elphaba stormed up to Liiku and slapped him hard across the face. He barely flinched, but stared back at her with total shock. Elphaba clenched her fists, shaking with anger.

"If that's how you feel, then yo're no better than those heartless murderers!" she hissed.

Liiku narrowed his eyes. "They kill innocents for no reason, Elphaba. _And you're feeling sympathetic towards them?!"_

"I don't want any more blood to be shed!" Elphaba protested.

"They will kill you if they get the chance! This is not the time for mercy or compassion!" Liiku said. "I thought you knew what you were fighting for. Now I'm not so sure."

"I am fighting to stop the Wizard's tyranny! Not to slaughter dozens of people!" Elphaba said.

"If you want to overthrow the Wizard, you better be willing to eliminate those standing inyour way," Liiku said, turning on his heel and marching angrily out of the room.

Elphaba didn't know what to do. As much as she hated the Wizard, as much as she despised him for what he had done, she could never imagine herself taking another's life.

Would she have to one day?


	23. Chapter 23

**I am sorry this took me so long. What can I say? College is crazy. But spring break is next week so I should get the next chapter posted soon. Reviews are greatly appreciated!**

* * *

Elphaba sat in her study, lost in her own thoughts, with the winged Monkey Chistery by her side. For some reason, the winged creatures had followed her back to Kiamo Ko, probably to show her their gratitude, but she wanted them to be free. She didn't want them to be pets. But they were stubborn; they refused to leave her side. Now, the designated leader of the Monkeys, Chistery, was sitting next to her, and she absent-mindedly stroked his tangled fur.

"What am I going to do, Chistery?" she asked him qiuetly. He simply chittered noisily and laid his head in her lap. She sighed. "And I have to start teaching you to speak. Come on, you have to remember. Can you say Elphaba for me? Come on, say Elphaba."

Chistery just looked up at her blankly. Elphaba shook her head.

"I'm going to make you talk one day, my pretty," she muttered. She was so restless, but there was nothing to do. She had kept a sharp ear out for any Animals that might be in trouble, but after Shade attacked the city, there had been none. Fiyero told her that all the soldiers had regrouped at the city to take care of all the bodies and clean up the mess. Which meant no one was out there capturing or torturing Animals. Elphaba knew she should be happy to hear this, but when Fiyero told her the death toll, any potential feelings of relief were instantly crushed.

36 dead. Hundreds injured. Fiyero was very lucky to come face-to-face with the dragon and live to tell the tale without a single scratch on him. But he had Elphaba to thank for that. Elphaba had no doubt in her mind that if she hadn't told Shade Fiyero was an ally he'd be dead as well.

Shade was quite a force to be reckoned with, and he had gotten a lot of attention from the press. Some argued to hunt down and kill him (no surprise there) while others wanted to capture him alive and contain him, seeing as he was the only dragon left. But Elphaba had no way of communicating with him, and that scared her more than the guards.

Liiku had been in a brighter mood after the news of Shade attacking the Guards, but in turn his health had been on a slow decline. He slept well into the afternoon and had hardly any appetite, not to mention his limp was a little more pronounced.

He hobbled into the study, carrying a glass of water and some bread, and sat down next to Elphaba. "How are you?" he asked.

"I'm alright. You?"

Liiku pointed to the bandage he had over his left eye. "Scar's a little inflamed, but nothing bad. Just putting some rubbing alcohol on it and hopefully the swelling will go down a little. And my coordination still sucks."

That earned a chuckle from Elphaba. True, ever since Liiku went blind, he had been having an increasingly difficult time with his depth-perception. He didn't seem very upset, just a little annoyed. And he would always try to laugh it off. Seeing how calm and relaxed and back to his old self Liiku was after his family's murder put Elphaba at ease. Liiku took a bite out of the bread he had and chewed slowly. He rolled his shoulders, which cracked a little.

"Shoulders are stiff, too," he added as an afterthought.

"You poor thing, how do you bare it?" Elphaba asked sarcastically.

"Well, I'm staying here with you, that sure helps," Liiku said.

Elphaba smiled a little. "Oh, come on, I--"

"I was talking to the Monkey," Liiku said interrupted, and Chistery bounded to his side. Liiku promptly scooped him up in his arms and started scratching behind his ears. "Who's a good little Monkey? You are! Oh, yes you are!"

Elphaba laughed, which in turn made Liiku grin even wider. Chistery chirped happily, enjoying the attention.

"What's my name? Be a good boy and tell the pretty lady what my name is," Liiku coaxed Chistery.

Chistery furrowed his eyebrows together and stared long and hard at Liiku. "Leee . . . cooo . . ." he said very slowly.

Elphaba gasped. "Did he just--"

"Shh," Liiku said. "Come on, Chistery, you can do it. What's my name?"

"Lee . . . ku!" Chisery said, a little more excitedly. He then started jumping up and down chirping joyfully. "Liiku! Liiku! Liiku!"

Elphaba let out an incredibly high and uncharacteristic squeal of joy. She leapt to her feet and grabbed Chistery in her own arms, hugging him furiously. "You did it! Oh, I'm so proud of you!"

"Elba!" Chistery said. "You Elpba!"

Elphaba laughed. "El-FA-ba," she corrected. "But close enough."

"El-ah-ba," Chistery repeated. "Elaba!"

Liiku smiled. "Very good! We'll have you speaking like a pro in no time!"

"No time!" Chistery repeated. "No time! No time! Liiku no time!"

Elphaba and Liiku both laughed. Elphaba was overjoyed she got Chistery to speak again. It wasn't much, but it was a definite start. And it gave her hope.

Chistery jumped back on Liiku's lap and pulled the bandage right off of Liiku's eye. Immediately, his hand flew to his eye, covering it, and he reached for the bandage.

"Chistery! Give that back!" Liiku said sternly.

"Back!" Chistery repeated. He then climbed up the shelves and sat on the rafters, proudly swinging around Liiku's bandage. "Give back! Liiku give back no time!"

"Chistery, please give that back to Liiku," Elphaba said gently. "His eye has a boo-boo and he needs that to get better."

"Boo-boo?" Liiku repeated, keeping his hand firmly pressed over his eye. "What am I, four?"

Chistery then tied the bandage over his own eye, chittering loudly. Despite herself, Elphaba laughed. Liiku didn't look amused at all.

"Chistery, give that back," Liiku said again, this time in a very serious and stern voice.

"Oh, let him play with it," Elphaba said. "You can always get another one."

Liiku huffed. "Fine."

"But as long as we're here, let me take a look at your eye," she said, reaching out to him. Liiku jumped backwards.

"I'm fine! Just let me get another bandage," he insisted.

"Stop being a baby and let me look at it," Elphaba said, grabbing his hand and pulling it away so she could get a better look at it. Liiku relented, although he kept his eye partially shut. "Doesn't look too bad," she muttered under her breath. "Can you open your eye a little?"

"It hurts a bit," he winced.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "You really are a big baby." She gently opened his eye up with her index and thumb. His eye looked like it was somehow losing its pigmentation; instead of his normal frost-blue color, it was now turning slightly yellow around the edges.

"What's wrong with your eye?" she asked more to herself than to him.

"I don't know," Liiku said. "Maybe it's infected again."

"I hope not. Come on, let's try to see if we can find anything to fix that." She grabbed his arm and led him down the spiral staircase of her study and into the library, which had now been transformed into an apothecary-like place. Spell books and all sorts of strange potion ingriedients hung around the room, and Elphaba immediately set off to work. Liiku, having no knowledge whatsoever with potion-making, sat down in a nearby chair, hand still clasped over his eye. A dull throbbing sensation was present all along the length of his scar, and his left eye was also burning. Closing it lessened the pain, and probably some ice would stop the throbbing, too.

In a few minutes, Elphaba had a cauldron boiling and had already flipped open a spell book. She read in absolute silence for a few minutes before jumping to her feet and grabbing a vast array of ingriedients; crushed bones, plant roots, and several other things Liiku did not want to even try to imagine. The fire heated the air around them to almost stifling heat, so much so Elphaba had to pull up her hair and take off her cape. Liiku could feel himself sweating in the choking heat.

In time, the potion was ready, and Elphaba scooped it up in a small vile. "Lean back, I'm going to have to pour this in your eye."

"Are you serious?" Liiku asked skeptically.

"This will change your eye back to its normal color," Elphaba said.

"Um, yeah, no thanks," Liiku said. "I'd rather not."

"Liiku--"

"_No_, Elphaba. I'm not letting you pour that crap into my eye!"

"It's perfectly safe, I promise," Elphaba said. "Look, we need to do _something _about it or it'll get infected again."

"Sorry, but I don't exactly trust magic," Liiku said. "I'm _fine_."

"Liiku, please," Elphaba persisted gently.

He sat in silence, staring back and forth between Elphaba and the vile of potion in her hands. Letting out a loud groan, he picked himself up and laid flat on his back o n a nearby table.

"Do it before I change my mind," he muttered.

Elphaba took a pipet and walked over to Liiku's side. Gently, she took two drops of the potion and dripped it into Liiku's eye. The second the potion touched Liiku's eye, it exploded in a hot firey flash, and Liiku clamped his hand over his eye, hissing with pain. It only lasted a split second, and soon the pain, as well as the throbbing in his head, subsided.

"Are you alright?" Elphaba asked.

"Yeah, but that hurt," he groaned.

"Sorry about that."

"It's fine."

"Let me see it."

"You're worse than my mother," Liiku growled, but obliged. He sat up, and opened both of his eyes. Elphaba took one look and nearly screamed. "What?! What is it?" Liiku asked quickly. Elphaba gritted her teeth angrily, and clenched her fists tightly. She stood there for a moment, silently fuming, before she spun on her heel, making various objects fly across the room.

"I can't do anything right!" she cried. "Lurline damn it all!"

Liiku jumped off the table and rushed to her side, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Elphaba, calm down and please tell me what's wrong."

Elphaba continued to shake her head, furious at herself beyond words. She simply handed him a small mirror. "Just look!" she said.

Liiku looked into his own reflection, and saw that his left eye, instead of being a perfectly normal blue, was now a golden yellow. But that wasn't all. His pupil was now in the shape of a slit instead of a circle. Liiku felt his jaw drop. But other than the strange lizard-like appearance of his eye, he felt no different.

"Elphaba, it's ok," he reassured her quickly, noting her duress. "I don't care. Really, I don't."

"I'm sorry. Liiku I am so sorry."

"Hey, you listen to me, it's ok," Liiku said. "You screwed up on a little spell. So what? It's not like you made me . . . turn into a monster or anything. It's just a stupid eye."

He could tell Elphaba wasn't convinced and was still upset at herself. Liiku sighed and embraced her in a comforting hug. "Promise you won't beat yourself up over this. It's no big deal, honestly. I don't care. And to be honest, I think it looks kind of cool."

"You're not fooling me, Liiku," she said bitterly.

"Listen to me, woman," Liiku said. "If I was angry at you, I would let you know. And I'm not. Ok? Trust me?" Elphaba nodded half-heartedly. Liiku sighed and gripped her harder. "You're impossible, woman. Chistery, tell Elphaba she's being unreasonable."

Chistery furrowed his brows in that same look of deep concentration. "Elaba . . . feasible!"

Liiku laughed loudly. "No, no, no, she's being _unreasonable_."

"Feasible!"

"Un-ree-son-ah-ble," Liiku said slowly.

"Uh-free-si-ah-ble," Chistery repeated. "Uhfreesiable!"

"Close enough," Liiku chuckled. And much to his delight, Elphaba was cracking a very small smile. "Ah, is that a smile I see?" he teased.

"Knock it off," she said, pushing him away, but her smile only grew.

"You need to smile more often. You have a pretty smile," Liiku said. At this, Elphaba turned slightly dark in her cheeks, her way of blushing.

"Thank you. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm perfectly alright, don't worry," Liiku said.

"Let me know if anything else happens."

"Alright, but I don't want you to beat yourself up over this. Promise me that, Elphaba," Liiku said. Elphaba nodded slowly.

"Ok, I promise."

Liiku playfully punched her shoulder. "Cheer up, things could be worse. I'm going to go back upstairs and get some rest. You should, too."

"Alright, I will in a moment," Elphaba said. Liiku simply nodded and left, with Chistery following him. Once he was gone, Elphaba turned back to her spell books. She was so sure she got everything right . . . where did she go wrong? Mentally she read over and over eyery step in making the potion and every ingredient she had used. It was simple enough, and she couldn't think of anything she did to make it go so wrong. The potion was supposed to turn his eye back to his natural color, so why did it turn yellow?

_Best not think about it too much or you'll drive yourself crazy, _Elphaba thought._ What's done is done. And at least Liiku doesn't seem very upset about it._

* * *

Liiku tossed and turned on his matress restlessly. What started out as a slight discomfort in his back turned into a constant, throbbing nuisance. His back ached, his wrists were sore, and the cramping in his legs had gotten worse. He had hoped his discomfort would have lessened, but it only got worse as each day went by. And he knew he had only himself to blame for being such a reckless idiot.

Regardless, he tried to find a comfortable spot to sleep in. He was feeling more exhausted than usual and he just wasn't feeling himself. After a while, he gave up trying to sleep and made his way over to the bathroom. He figured it to be a good idea to clean up his scars.

He ripped off his shirt and examined his back in the mirror. It wasn't looking good at all. Liiku sighed and grabbed bandages and rubbing alcohol and set off to work. He grunted with pain every time he pressed the rag to his back, but he knew it had to be done. Once finished, he wrapped himself back up with gauze.

He took one final look at his discolored eye. It didn't matter to him, really. What was one more disfiguration to him? He limped his way back over to the bed and laid flat on his chest, his back sore and burning. Exhaustion took over, and Liiku slipped off to sleep.


	24. Chapter 24

"Alright, men, we're finished here. Everyone, back to your posts."

"Sir!" they saluted, and marched off.

Morrible cast an emotionless gaze slowly around the destroyed training grounds. "A shame, really. Such fine boys taken away so quickly."

"It is," Fiyero said. And for once in his life, he actually agreed with her.

"I want you to assemble a party. Hunt down that dragon, and bring it to me _alive_," Morrible said. "If you kill the dragon, you will share the same fate as that despicable reporter, Liiku."

Fiyero nodded. "Yes, ma'am, but if I may ask, why do you want the dragon alive?"

"Perhaps you forget that I am a powerful sorceress. I might just be able to manipulate his mind so he will be on our side. Think of the possibilities, my dear captain. It would make your job that much simpler."

"And it is also incredibly dangerous. I don't want any more of my men getting killed," Fiyero said.

"It is a sacrifice I am willing to make," Morrible said. "Fiyero, this may very well be the last dragon to ever live. What does it matter if a few petty soldiers were to lose their lives?"

"It matters to me," Fiyero said sternly.

Morrible plopped her fat hand on Fiyero's shoulder. "I think I know your problem, dear," she said. "You are much too emotional for a soldier. Sever all personal ties you may have with your men. It will make your job that much easier." She turned, and began to walk away. But she then stopped, and turned around. "Well? Get going! Find the dragon and bring it to me!"

Fiyero pinched the bridge of his nose, but did as he was ordered. He gathered up fifty of his finest men and assembled them in the armory's meeting room.

"Gentlemen," he said. "We have now been attacked twice by this dragon. It has killed several of our men and wreaked terror in our city. I will not tolerate this any further. Today, we will go out and hunt down the dragon and stop it! However, Madame Morrble has strictly ordered me to bring the dragon to her alive. I need you to bring your best weapons, but we also need to bring tranquilizers and sedatives. Gather up everything you might need to take this monster down. We start the hunt first light tomorrow."

"Yes, sir!" The men said in unison, and left the room quickly.

* * *

"Liiku? Are you ok? You've been in there for the last half-hour . . . "

"I have a bad stomach flu I'll be--" Liiku was cut off as he violently heaved in the bathroom. Elphaba could hear him cough loudly and groan with pain.

"You don't sound good," she said.

"What was your first clue?" Liiku growled angrily. She then heard the distinct sound of the toilet being flushed, and Liiku stumbled out of the bathroom. He looked absolutely miserable; his skin was chalk-white, huge bags hung his eyes and the whites of his eyes were blood-shot.

"Dear Oz, you look like death," Elphaba said, and helped him stumble his way back to his room. He nearly collapsed on top of his bed as Elphaba tried to ease him down. "You need anything? Water?"

"I don't think my stomach can handle anything," he groaned. "Just let me try to rest." Elphaba nodded and left Liiku alone in his room, but could hear him restlessly tossing on his bed. Elphaba bit her lip nervously. She remembered taking care of Nessa when they were still young when she had gotten sick, but she had never seen anything so severe. He was looking worse everyday. In her head, she knew Liiku needed to see a real doctor or he would only continue to get worse. But his face was plastered on "Wanted" posters across the country; it just wasn't safe for him!

She paced up and down the hall, her mind whirring at top speed. She ran through her head everything that might help him. Chicken broth had always helped, but Liiku may end up just throwing that up as well. And she didn't have any medicine. She could risk flying to the nearest town to get some, but she didn't want to steal from an honest doctor . . . Perhaps she could leave some money at the steps.

The rustling of leaves captured her attention. Looking up, she saw Silverlight fly through one of the windows. He landed at Elphaba's feet, out of breath.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's Fiyero. He's going out to capture Shade. Morrible wants him alive," he said in a breathy voice.

Elphaba frowned. "Alright, but why are you telling me this? I have no idea where Shade might be."

"I just thought I would let you know in case you did happen to see him," Silverlight said. "And to also warn you the Gale Force will be out and to watch yourself."

"Thank you. I actually need to get some medicine for Liiku; he's very sick."

"Anything I can do for you, miss?"

"If you could perhaps fly to the local village and visit the town doctor asking for some medicine, that would be wonderful."

"What are his symptoms?"

"He is having trouble keeping anything in his stomach, and he's exhausted and feverish. He has also been complaining about muscle cramps and stiffness."

"Poor soul," he muttered. "I shall get the medicine for you immediately."

"Thank you very much," Elphaba said. She gave him a pouch filled with coins and he took off. While he was away, she decided it wouldn't hurt to at least try to get Liiku to eat something. After quickly preparing some soup broth, she brought it up to Liiku's room, where he was lying on his stomach. He looked asleep, but spoke up when Elphaba entered.

"So Fiyero's going dragon-hunting?" he asked.

"I guess, although I think it's foolish," Elphaba said. Liiku gave a small laugh.

"They don't stand a chance."

"For Shade's sake, I hope he keeps out of trouble." She handed him the bowl of broth in his hands. "I brought you something to drink."

Liiku pushed himself up, and sat on the edge of his bed, taking the bowl in his shaking, clammy hands. "Thank you." He sipped it slowly, closing his eyes as he gulped down the warm liquid.

"Feeling better?"

"A little."

"Why don't you try resting on your back?"

"Because my back hurts more than my stomach," he said. He threw his head back and finished off the rest of the broth. "I haven't been this sick since I was a little kid."

"I guess I must be lucky; I've never gotten any serious illnesses," Elphaba said.

"Damn right you're lucky," he said with a forced smile. "All those damn germs make it a living nightmare."

"At least you still feel well enough to talk," she pointed out.

"I can be on my death bed and still be able to talk," he said.

"You'd probably give your lawyers a headache if you were," Elphaba smirked.

"Until the day I die, woman, I will be pissing people off."

"And you're doing a wonderful job."

"Thank you very much."

"Why am I friends with you, again?"

"Because we're both smart-asses?"

Elphaba chuckled. "That's right. I almost forgot."

"How could you?" Liiku asked with mock hurt. Elphaba shook her head, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling. "I'm going to try and get a little more rest. Don't worry about me, I'll be alright."

"Alright, feel better soon," she said, and gently closed his bedroom door.

* * *

Fiyero and his entire squadron, now consisted of eighty men, rode out on horse-back to the South. Along with them was the most experienced tracker Fiyero could find, an aging man by the name of Lewis Clark. With him was his pet falcon, Saka. The falcon was flying overhead, chirping occasionally as she soared overhead.

"Let me be honest, I've never tracked a dragon before so bear with me," Lewis said uncertainly.

Fiyero laughed. "Don't worry, I don't think anyone has tracked a dragon before."

"But South would be our best bet. Nice and warm there. And lots of forests. Good place for a big critter like her to hide."

"Erm, her?"

"The dragon!" Lewis said.

"What makes you so certain it's a girl?"

"What makes you so certain it's not?"

Fiyero hesitated fo a second. "Point taken."

They rode on well into the evening and were forced to stop only when the sun had completely set and night had descended. The men set up camp quickly and Fiyero picked out a few men to keep watch for the night. Being a bit restless himself, he took a post. This was a bad idea. He knew how dangerous Shade was. If the soldiers tried to attack him, he would fight back. He didn't want anyone else to die. He paced back and forth, mulling over what to do.

What must have been hours later, and well into the night, Fiyero and a few other men were on guard duty. One of the men came up to Fiyero.

"Sir, you've been out here a while. You should get some rest."

Fiyero nodded. "Thank you." Not like he could sleep, but he should try. He barely laid down to sleep in his tent when a deafening roar ripped through the silent night, followed shortly by several panicked screams.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Fiyero cried to himself. He jumped to his feet and ran out of his tent. Sure enough, the enormous black dragon was flying overhead, spewing balls of fire at the panicked soldiers. They open-fired at the creature, ut just like the first time it appeared, the bullets harmlessly bounced off it. It landed, shaking the ground beneath their feet, and swung its heavy tail at any nearby soldiers. Shade then ran across the grounds, jaws wide open and catching an unsuspecting soldier in his jaws. Shade viciously bit down, severing the man in half. It turned and lashed out at anyone in his way.

"Get the grappling guns!" one of the soldiers shouted.

"A what gun?" Fiyero asked stupidly, but the others surrounding him seemed to know what he was talking about. They grabbed a very large tube-like machine with a very large and vicious-looking spear sticking in it. The men fired it at the dragon, the spear plunging deep into the back of his neck. Shade howled with pain, but turned on the men and breathed a huge ball of fire at them. They were incinerated instantly. Shade then ripped the spear out of his neck, still roaring with pain. He furiously stomped over to another group of men who were attempting to shoot him with another spear gun, but Shade smashed both the men and machine.

"SHADE! STOP THIS!" Fiyero roared at the top of his lungs. "STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!"

Shade turned, glaring furiously at Fiyero. Without warning, he charged, and grabbed Fiyero, taking off into the skies.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Fiyero yelled, who was now hundreds of feet in the air.

"I should drop you, you worthless piece of human scum!" Shade roared. "I should kill you! You, and all of the human race!"

"You're insane!"

Shade released Fiyero. He screamed, and fell, the ground racing closer and closer. Oh, god, was this how he was going to die?!

But shade swooped down, grabbing him in his talons before he hit the earth. "However," Shade growled. "Elphaba would not approve." Shade then landed, roughly throwing Fiyero to the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Fiyero yelled.

"Well, seeing as those men were trying to capture me, I had no choice," Shade explained. "I had to defend myself from the likes of you."

"_You _attacked _us_!" Fiyero yelled.

Shade leered closer to Fiyero. "And how long would I have to wait until _you _attacked _me_?"

"You're fucking _nuts_. You are a fucking psychopath!" Fiyero yelled. "You could have hid! Eventually they would have given up!"

"You would have never given up looking for me," Shade growled.

"Well, not after you killed my men!" Fiyero yelled. "We were going to take you alive! But now, people will be looking to kill you!"

"Let them try," Shade growled. And he took off back into the sky, leaving a very furious and dumb-founded Fiyero.

"What the hell is wrong with that thing?" Fiyero muttered to himself.

* * *

Silverlight came back around midnight, clutching a bag in his talons. "Here's the medicine, Elphaba," he said, landing beside her.

"Thnak you very much," Elphaba said.

"Up a little late, aren't you?" he chirped jokingly.

"Can't sleep," she said. "I'll go give this to Liiku, I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"Perhaps you should wait until morning? He might be asleep." Silverlight suggested.

"I'll go check on him and see," she said, taking the bag and heading up the staircases. She cracked open the door, but it was too dark to see anything. "Liiku?" she whispered. "Are you awake?" No answer. She cracked the door open a little bit more. "Liiku?" she asked in a louder voice. Still no answer. She felt her way to the bed, and gently patted it, looking for him. "Liiku?" But the bed was empty.

Maybe the bathroom, she thought. But he wasn't there, either. Elphaba was starting to grow concerned. It was pitch-black and she had no idea where he could be. She checked the usual places; the kitchen, the library, her study, even her own bedroom, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Where in the name of Oz could he be?" she muttered to herself. Maybe he was sleeping in a different room. The palace was full of secret passages and hundreds of unused rooms; he could be in anyone of those. Well, it was no use trying to find him in the middle of the night. Liiku was a grown man, and she knew he could take care of himself.

She sat herself back down at her study, and no more than five minutes later, she heard an old rusty door creak open. She jumped to her feet, standing very still.

"What was that?" Silverlight whispered.

"Shh . . ." Elphaba replied in a quiet voice. She could hear very, very faint footsteps just down the hall. Grabbing the nearest weapon-like object she could find, which was a poker, she crept over to the door. The footsteps grew louder as the intruder came closer. Elphaba jumped out of her hiding spot, ready to attack.

"AGH!" the intruder screamed, stumbling backwards.

"Liiku?" Elphaba said stupidly. She squinted in the very dim light, and sure enough, it was Liiku.

"Good God, woman, are you trying to give me a heart-attack?" he asked.

"What are _you _trying to do? Where have you been?" she demanded.

"I couldn't sleep, so I was exploring the castle," he said.

"You were exploring the castle," she repeated.

"Yes."

"While you are sick."

"I'm actually feeling much better now."

"In the _middle of the night_."

"I got lost a few times."

"That's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard."

Liiku rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He shoved past Elphaba, but he grabbed his arm and dragged him into the study where there was more light. He was wearing a thick jacket, and had bandages wrapped around his neck.

"What's wrong with your neck?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said quickly.

Leaning closer, she noticed there was fresh blood on the inside of his coat. "Liiku, _are you bleeding_?!"

"It's nothing, I'll be fine!" he said.

Elphaba would have none of it. She ripped off his jacket, and saw the extent of the damage. His entire neck was heavily bandaged, and even so, blood was still running down his back. "Sweet Lurline, what did you do to yourself?"

"Just a bad run-in with a stalagmite--or tite. Which is the one that hangs from the ceiling, I forgot."

"You honestly expect me to believe that? How stupid do you think I am?" Elphaba said, her voice nearly a shriek. Liiku winced.

"I--"

"Liiku, just tell me what's going on! Please," Elphaba said.

Liiku hesitated, then took off his shirt. Slowly, he unraveled the bandages around his back, wincing ever-so often.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Showing you."

"Showing me _what_?"

He didn't say anything, but when he finished unwrapping the bandages, he turned around. All up and down his back were black, plate-like scales. Elphaba bit her tongue to keep herself from screaming.

"What--?!" she whimpered, but again, he said nothing. He only hunched over slightly and screwed up his eyes in concentration. Something began to bulge out of his back, and she could hear faint popping noises. Elphaba silently watched, a mix of horror and shock on her face.

Two large bat-like wings burst forth from Liiku's shoulders. He groaned with pain, and rolled his shoulders, folding his wings around him.

"Liiku . . . ?!"

"Elphaba . . . " he said very slowly. "I'm Shade."

* * *

**What is it with me and turning people into stuff? :D**


	25. Chapter 25

Elphaba was on the verge of an emotional collapse. It couldn't be true! It just couldn't! It was impossible! But how could she deny it? Liiku was standing before her, with his black wings spread wide, as if mocking her. Daring her to believe it wasn't true.

"What the hell do you mean _you're Shade_?!" she cried.

Liiku gave her a sideways glance. "I really have no idea how to put it any clearer."

Elphaba punched --not slapped, _punched--_him in the jaw as hard as she could. Liiku stumbled backwards, his eyes widening with shock. He sighed.

"Yeah, I probably deserved that," he muttered. Elphaba hit him again. "Ow! Ok, I get it, enough with the punching!"

"What the hell is going on?!" Elphaba cried, her panic and anger having only grown. "What happened to you?!"

Liiku put his hands on her shoulder. "Please, Elphaba, just calm down--"

"Don't touch me!" she snapped as she shoved him away. "How long have you been lying to me?"

"Ever since my family was murdered," Liiku said quietly. "Look, it was an _accident_, this wasn't supposed to happen--"

"How could this be an accident?!"

"I screwed up on a spell--" Elphaba cut him off with a slap to the face. _"Would you knock that off?!"_

"_What _spell?! Are you telling me you can do magic?!"

"Well, that's probably why the spell didn't work," Liiku said a bit angrily. He looked over at his wings. "Listen, _this wasn't supposed to happen_."

Elphaba bit her lip to keep herself from snapping at him again any further. Folding her arms over her schest, she gave Liiku a murderous look. "Explain."

"Ever since I got here, I've been reading those old spell books you found in the library," he started. "I found one in particular that caught my attention. The spell said it would summon a dragon to do the caster's bidding, but . . ." He flapped his wings. "Well, yeah, it didn't work as planned."

"You idiot," she growled. "Why did you do this to yourself?!"

"I wanted to help you! I couldn't just let you go off to those prisons on your own! Dammit Elphaba, I was worried about you!"

"So you turned yourself into a _dragon_?!"

"I told you, I thought the spell would _summon _a dragon, not turn me into one!"

"Dragons are extinct, you idiot!" Elphaba said, and turned away. She paced around the room, still trying to comprehend what Liiku just told her.

"I've been looking for a spell to reverse this, but--" Liiku began, but Elphaba cut him off.

"Spells are irreversible. Morrible told me herself," she said angrily.

"Well that's hardly a reason for me to keep looking. She could have been lying to you," Liiku said.

"But what if she's right? What if you can't . . . _undo _this?"

"Elphaba, I can already change back," Liiku said. "If I can't undo it completely, then at least I can still turn back into a human, right?"

"You killed them," she said very suddenly. "You killed all those guards."

Liiku was a little caught off guard, but quickly regained his composure. "I was only trying to protect you," Liiku said.

Elphaba rubbed her eyes. "I can't believe this . . ."

"I'm sorry," Liiku said.

"No you're not," she snapped. "Get out of here, I don't want to talk to you!"

Liiku opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated. He closed his mouth, nodded, and left the room. Silverlight, who had been watching the whole incident, just stood there with his beak wide open.

"What?" Elphaba snapped at him.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Silverlight said weakly.

"I can't believe that wreckless, idiotic, brainless _fool _would do something so stupid! What was he thinking?! I should strangle him for what he did!" She started pacing faster around the room ,wringing her hands furiously. Inaudible curses spewed from her lips like a raging typhoon. "Idiot, idiot, _idiot_!!!"

"Are . . . are you alright?" Silverlight squeaked.

"I'm going to skin him alive."

Silverlight remained silent and just watched Elphaba pace back and forth, silently raging. He could have sworn he saw smoke curling out of her ears, she was so furious.

She stopped suddenly and turned to Silverlight. "I'm going to bed. And when I wake up, I'm going to beat some sense into that imbecile!" She stormed out of the room and thundered up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door loudly.

Silverlight peeked into the medicine bag he had brought back for Liiku. Inside was a small vile of syrup to cure headaches. Silverlight downed the entire bottle.

* * *

Elphaba woke early the next morning and took the longest shower of her life. The water sputtered and was ice-cold, but she hardly cared. She wanted to forget everything that had happened last night. She wanted to forget ever seeing Liiku's wings, or his yellow eyes, or hear him confess that he had _lied _to her. She still couldn't believe he would do something so wreckless.

But time refused to turn back, and she forced herself to make her way downstairs to the kitchen. Not surprisingly, Liiku was already down there drinking his morning coffee. His lips twitched upwards weakly but she ignored him. She went through her regualr morning routine of preparing herself some tea and porridge, all without even acknowledging Liiku's presence. Liiku uncomfortably shuffled his feet and drank his coffe without a word. The tension between the two was near breaking point.

Pouring herself a cup of tea, she sat at the table, gripping the cup so hard Liiku was afraid she'd crush it. Liiku sat down across from her, but even then she wouldn't meet his gaze. They just sat there, in complete silence, Liiku unsure of what to say, and Elphaba pretending he wasn't even there. But finally, Elphaba slammed the cup down on the table and looked at Liiku with a gaze that would have made a bear cower in fear.

"Show me," she said simply.

"Er, what?" Liiku said uneasily.

Elphaba grabbed his hands. "Show me," she repeated.

Liiku bit his lip, and nodded. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. His hands began to twitch slightly, and turned black in color. Scales grew all across his hands, and his nails lengthened to large, black claws. Liiku opened his eyes, but did not meet Elphaba's gaze. He just looked down at his hands, wincing slightly.

"Does it hurt?" Elphaba asked flatly. He nodded.

"Every time," he said quietly. He took his hands out of Elphaba's and they quickly changed back to normal.

"You should have told me," she said. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I got scared. And I didn't want you to worry about me," Liiku said.

"Tell me what happened. Exactly what happened," Elphaba said.

Liiku stood. "Ok, but let me show you." Elphaba followed him up to his room, a cramped room with clothes, books, and paper scattered everywhere. Liiku picked his way over the litter to the back of the room. Pulling out a small pocket knife, he pried a brick loose, revealing a small lever inside. Pulling the lever, the brick wall swung open, revealing a secret room. "I found this room just after I came here. This place is full of secret rooms."

Elphaba nodded, but remained silent. She stepped inside, and saw that the roof was missing. She shuddered as the strong mountain gusts blew. Liiku saw her looking and managed a weak laugh.

"Yeah, this room doesn't exactly have big enough doors for a dragon to get out," he said, rubbing his neck sheepishly. On the ground, Liiku had drawn a huge circle with strange inscription surrounding it. Along with the foreign words, Liiku had drawn ancient calligraphy, a few which Elphaba recognized from her History classes. Fire, earth, water, air . . . all of the four basic elements.

"What is this?" she asked.

"The spell," Liiku said. He then handed her a book, and opened it to show her the exact same thing on the pages. "I followed the spell down to the very last detail. And when I heard you were going to break into the Palace to free the monkeys, I did the spell. I didn't want you to get hurt."

"Then what happened?" she persisted.

"Well, I recited the incantation . . . and I started to change. Mind you, I was expecting a dragon to pop up, not to turn into one."

"You must have been scared," she said hollowly.

"You have no idea," Liiku said quietly. "But I figured I must have screwed up somewhere along the way and got my head together. So I flew off to the Emerald City. I barely got there in time to save you."

"I suppose I should thank you," she said in the same dead voice. "How did you know you could change back?"

"I didn't," he said simply. "But when I tried to bandage you up, I couldn't. I got angry and kept thinking to myself 'if only I was human, then I would be able to help her.' And sure enough I changed back."

"And you didn't tell me right then and there? Why not?"

"I told you, I didn't want you to worry about me," Liiku said. Elphaba smacked him.

"You are without a doubt the craziest man I have ever met."

"Thank you?" Liiku said. "But just think of it this way; we have a valuable weapon at our disposal! We can do whatever we need to! No more living in fear! We can take out the Wizard, no problem."

"I don't want to _kill _him, I want to _expose _him for all the terrible things he's done," Elphaba said. "Killing him would only prove we're the enemies."

Liiku thought for a moment. "How are we going to do that? Stand on top of a skyscraper and shout to the world the Wizard's evil?"

"You know, that's not a half-bad idea," Elphaba said. Liiku chuckled.

"Yeah, but it won't work. No one will listen to us."

"They might listen to a giant fire-breathing dragon."

"Or they might run away as fast as they can."

Elphaba laughed. "We should talk to Fiyero. Maybe he can come up with something. And we should tell him so he doesn't try to kill you."

Liiku cringed inwardly. "Oh, um, ok . . ."

"What?" Elphaba said.

"Nohing, I just . . . do you think it's a good idea to tell him?"

"Well he should know."

"Well, I just--" Liiku didn't have time to finish, because at that moment, they both heard the front door slam open. Elphaba and Liiku both ran out of the secret room and downstairs to see Fiyero storming in, his clothes slightly charred and his face distorted with rage.

"Fiyero?" Elphaba asked.

"I've just about had it with that bloody dragon!" Fiyero roared.

Elphaba shot Liiku a dangerous look. "What did Shade do?" Elphaba asked, her eyes never leaving Liiku.

"He attacked my men in the middle of the night! Killed every single one of them! I'm telling you, Elphaba, he is out of control!"

"Well, maybe _Liiku _can talk to you about that," Elphaba said viciously, shoving Liiku to Fiyero. "Go ahead, Liiku, talk to Fiyero about Shade."

"What does _he _know about him?" Fiyero said. Liiku tried to keep himself from laughing. Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"I'll have you know that Liiku is actually Shade," Elphaba said suddenly. Fiyero stared at Elphaba, then at Liiku, then back at Elphaba.

"You're joking, right?" he said.

"I wish I was," Elphaba said thickly.

"You mean to tell me that--he--Liiku--_what_?" Fiyero said, completely flabbergasted.

Liiku started laughing. "You should see your face! You look ridiculous!"

"_You're _Shade?!" Fiyero exclaimed. "How is that possible?!"

"He was being a reckless idiot and attempted a spell and it backfired. Isn't that right, Liiku?" Elphaba said viciously.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up," Liiku said.

Fiyero gaped at the both of them. "You bastard!" Fiyero cried. "You killed them! You tried to kill _me_! What the hell is _wrong _with you?!"

"They were going to hunt down and kill Elphaba! I was simply defending her," Liiku said.

"That doesn't explain why you try to kill me!" Fiyero said.

"Oh, that? That was solely for my own amusement," Liiku said with a laugh.

Fiyero slapped his hands over his eyes. "I don't believe this!"

"You know, I wish I could say I kept this a secret just to see your reaction," Liiku said.

"I should turn you in right now!" Fiyero said. "Those were innocent men you killed, Liiku!"

"They wouldn't have been innocent for long," Liiku snarled. "And how dare you stand up for those dogs!"

Fiyero was on the verge of strangling him. "What gives you the right to kill whoever you want?"

"Because they're trying to kill an innocent woman," Liiku said. "I thought we were in on this together! If you're planning on being loyal to the Wizard, you better watch out, or you're next." Liiku turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.

"I don't believe this!" Fiyero said in a hoarse whisper. "When did you find out?!"

"Last night," Elphaba said. "I don't know what to do about him--"

"Get out of here," Fiyero warned. "Get away from him. He's out of his mind. I don't want him to hurt you!"

"It's not me we have to worry about," Elphaba said. "I'm more worried about you."

"But you're the one living with that--that _animal_."

"Liiku would never dream of hurting me. He's after the Guards, which is why I need you to be careful."

"I hate this," Fiyero muttered. "I don't like leaving you alone with him. What if this spell didn't leave him right in the head?"

"I'll have you know I'll be able to take care of myself if anything were to go wrong," Elphaba said. "I know a few spells. I'll be fine, trust me."

"Please be careful," Fiyero said. He took a step closer to her and brushed her hair back. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I love you."

Elphaba felt herself smile. "I love you, too, Yero. I promise, I'll keep an eye on Liiku. But you be careful, too."

"I will," Fiyero nodded. He kissed her briefly on her cheek, and turned to go, but Elphaba grabbed his hand, stopping him. He turned, but before he could question her, she pulled him closer and kissed him passionately on the lips. After only a second's pause, he kissed back as he wrapped her in his strong embrace.

"You take care of yourself," she said as they parted.

"Of course. Anything for you, my love," Fiyero said.


	26. Chapter 26

It had been five weeks since she had sent Fiyero out on his little quest to hunt down and capture the dragon. And not a single word. No sign, no nothing. Madame Morrible paced back and forth restlessly, waiting for a sign, anything.

And as always, the little Gillikin brat was by her side, her eyes big and welling with tears. Her bottom lip quivered in fear, and Morrible longed to smack that pathetic look off of her face.

"Where is he? "Glinda whimpered.

"He will return eventually," Morrible said, although she doubted this. They had promised a message via that stupid hawk, but nothing. No doubt the dragon had found the troops and disposed of them. And if a single dragon took out eighty men . . . well, then this dragon was far stronger than Morrible had predicted. _Now what?_ she asked herself.

Well, no matter. She knew she was more than powerful enough to kill that blasted thing if she so desired. She might as well go out and find it herself.

But where in the name of the Unnamed God could it be hiding?

A smile played on her lips. No, she wouldn't find it. She would make it come to her.

"Glinda, my dear," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Inform the villagers that there will be a meeting. I just recalled, there is something very important I must deal with."

"What is that, Madame?" the blond questioned.

Morrible smiled. "Well, we must remind them that Animals are dangerous. And must be made an example of."

* * *

Elphaba had closely monitored both Liiku and Fiyero over the past couple of weeks to make sure none got into any more fights. Honestly, the two acted like children at times. But after Liiku's little revelation, he returned back to his usual self, and spent his days writing in his journals or exploring the mountain side. Occasionally, he would also transform into his dragon form and just fly around the mountains. Elphaba would strongly object to him exposing himself too much, but Liiku would not be swayed, saying that the absolute joy and freedom of flying was too good to pass up. He flew and transformed when he wanted, although he was considerate enough to do it when neither Fiyero nor Elphaba were around.

"Do you write at all?" Liiku asked her one day as he sat at the table with a pen in hand and a notebook in his lap. "You should, it's a great stress-reliever."

"I prefer reading," she said. "With books, you can learn about a whole new world and explore endless possibilities."

"If you're a writer, you can make your own world and make up your own possibilities," Liiku smirked. "In a way, it's kind of like playing God."

"Don't let my sister catch you saying that or she'll crucify you," Elphaba laughed.

Liiku paused. "How is she?" he asked her quietly.

At this, Elphaba grew silent as well. She bit her lip. "I'm not sure. Last I heard, she was still under doctor's supervision."

"And no one's seen Boq recently, huh?" he added.

"No."

"Poor bastard," he whispered. He then squinted, and cast his gaze to the ceiling. "I wonder if he'd be jealous?"

"Of what?"

"The fact that we're both the results of screwed-up spells. I turn into a dragon, and he's . . . well, a tik-tok."

"It's your own fault you're a dragon," Elphaba reminded him sternly.

"I never said it wasn't," Liiku said, raising his hands defensively. "Just something stupid that crossed my mind . . ."

"That tends to happen a lot, doesn't it?"

Liiku chuckled. "More often than I like. I've made a new resolution; the next time I think of a brilliant plan, I'll beat myself over the head until I'm unconscious."

"That sounds like an excellent plan. I bet you a hundred dollars you will not keep that resolution for more than two months."

"Well two months is _awfully _optimistic," Liiku said. "I bet I'll break it in six weeks."

"What kind of idiot would make that bet?"

"The kind of idiot that has absolutely no faith in me and thinks I will break my resolution in two days," Liiku said innocently.

"And people say I'm strange," Elphaba mused.

"Well no one's denying _that_," Liiku said. Elphaba smacked him. "Ow, why are you hurting me?" he whined.

"You took a harpoon to the neck," Elphaba said. "I hardly think a book would faze you."

"But it's an _evil book_," Liiku said.

"Right."

"When's Fiyero going to head back to the Emerald City, by the way?"

"Why are you so eager to get rid of him?"

"I'm just curious."

"He's leaving tomorrow, day after at the latest," she said. "He still needs to get a few things ready for the trip back. And to come up with a good story about how he was able to survive _three _encounters with a blood-thirsty dragon."

"He could make up a story of how he _charmed _it with his _good looks_," Liiku said sarcastically.

"I heard that," Fiyero yelled from upstairs.

"I'm sorry, you want me to kiss you and make it better?" Liiku yelled back.

"Knock it off," Elphaba said half-heartedly.

"Or what?"

"Or I'll kick you out of here. I should have done that weeks ago," she added.

"Aw, but you love me too much to do such a cruel thing, don't you?"

"Barely," Elphaba said.

The following day, as promised, Fiyero had gathered up all the supplies he would need, as well as planned for a story to explain his prolonged absence and why he was the only one to ever survive the encounter. Elphaba gave him a quick farewell kiss before he left.

"Take care, Yero," she said.

"You too, Fae," he said, and he rode off.

Liiku watched him go silently, with a curious gaze in his eyes. "I should go to the Emerald City and see what's going on, as well," he said to himself.

"Because a giant black dragon is just so subtle," Elphaba said with a roll of her eyes.

"I'll just fly into the outskirts and walk in. No one will notice."

"You're also an escaped convict."

"It's called a disguise."

"Why am I not reassured?"

"Because you're a hard person to please. And I really want to fly again."

Elphaba shook her head. "I don't like it."

"Like what?" Liiku asked.

"You turning into--into that _thing_. It's not who you are," she said.

"The dragon is as much a part of me as my own heart. What do you want me to do about it?" he asked. "It _is _who I am now."

"Every time you turn into that dragon, I don't see you!" she yelled. "All I see is a great big . . . _monster_."

Liiku recoiled. "It's not like I wanted this to happen."

"I know."

"Maybe . . . you should fly with me," he said.

"What?"

"Come with me." He held out his hand. "Let me show you. I'm still _me_, no matter what I look like."

Elphaba hesitated, looking back and forth between his hand and his eyes--one gold, one blue. She let out a long breath and took it. "Alright."

Liiku smiled, and led her up the footpaths of the neighboring mountains. About a kilometer or so along the footpath, he stopped, and closed his eyes.

"You ready?" he asked.

"I guess I am," she said.

Liiku held out his arm, and screwed up his eyes with concentration. His hand then turned black and scaly, with claws replacing his nails. He bent over, letting out a grunt of pain as his wings and tails took shape. His clothes ripped away to shreds as he grew in size, becoming more and more dragon with each passing second. Finally, with the transformation complete, he shook his head and let out a loud roar.

"What do you think?" he asked, grinning broadly at her with his sharp fangs.

"It's . . . quite terrifying to be honest," Elphaba said. _And yet, so awe-inspiring._ It was her first time seeing Liiku change completely, and made the truth all the more real to her.

"I bet." Liiku bent over, and Elphaba climbed onto his back. "Are you ready?" he said, flexing his wings eagerly.

"I suppose so," Elphaba said.

Liiku took off into the skies, his wings pumping faster and faster as they climbed higher into the air. Elphaba closed her eyes and let a smile form on her lips as the wind tugged at her hair and clothes. Liiku twisted and snaked in the sky, laughing with each gut-wrenching dive he made. Elphaba couldn't help but laugh with him.

"This sure as hell beats a broom," Liiku said.

"It's a little more comfortable, too," Elphaba remarked with a laugh.

"Again I must question why in the world a broom."

"I was in a hurry," Elphaba said. "And the only other avilable options were a bucket and an umbrella."

Liiku laughed. "How the hell would flying with an umbrella work?"

"That's why I went with the broom," Elphaba said.

Now, they were flying over the plains just east of the mountains, the houses so small they were barely dots beneath them. Liiku turned back west, keeping to the clouds. He dove right in the middle of a particularly big and fluffy one, spraying Elphaba with mist. She laughed, and spread her arms wide. Her fingers brushed through the misty vapor of the clouds, covering her sleeves and hands in dew. _How many other people can say they have touched a cloud?_

Liiku didn't want to stop flying, either. The only reason he landed was because it grew too dark to see anything. He reluctantly headed back to the castle, exhausted from the many hours of flying, but happy.

"Well, that was fun," Elphaba said as she slid off his back.

Liiku grinned, although he was breathing heavily. "We should do it again sometime soon."

Elphaba patted his neck. "As soon as you don't look ready to collapse."

Liiku trudged back to the castle, his tail and wings trailing on the ground. Elphaba kept one hand pressed against his side, she as well feeling the effects of fatigue. Liiku managed to squeeze his large bulk through the doors, but he was so tired he curled up on the floor and fell fast asleep, just like a dog would do. Elphaba smiled, and headed off to sleep herself.

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Morrible said. "The dragon attacked your men, so you took cover in a cavern and waited five weeks for the dragon to leave before coming out of hiding?"

"That is correct, Madame," Fiyero said.

"You didn't try to fight it?"

"Of course I did, but when it killed a large number of my squadron, I knew we didn't have a chance against it. I tried to gather up what was left of our party, but I barely had time to escape myself."

"You are a very lucky man, indeed," Morrible said. "It seems there is a certain something looking out after you."

_Yes, thank god the "dragon" likes Elphaba so much,_ Fiyero thought.

"And it's also fortunate you have returned at such a time. I have thought of a plan to lure the dragon out of hiding, where I will dispose of it myself."

"Madame, with all due respect, the dragon is bullet-proof and took a metal spear to the neck," Fiyero said impatiently. "It's not a force to underestimate."

"Do not underestimate my own powers, captain," she said strictly. "I know the dragon's one and only weakness."

"What's that?" he asked.

"_The eyes._ The softest part of the body and most vulnerable! A sword or bullet to the eye would kill it, I guarantee you."

"Good luck getting close enough to stab it," Fiyero said.

"That's what magic is for," Morrible said. "Honestly, do you have any faith?"

"After seeing what this dragon can do, not really," Fiyero admitted.

Morrible laughed. "Don't worry. Just be at the Town Square at eight o'clock tomorrow."

"Is that when you'll lure it out?" Fiyero asked.

"Yes."

"How, may I ask?"

"The dragon seems to respond if we threaten the lives of any Animals. So we'll be hanging a few in public."

Fiyero's jaw dropped. "Hang?! Well . . . these are Animals convicted of crimes, right?"

"Well, we don't have any Animals facing capital punishment currently, but what difference does that make?"

"You're going to hang innocent Animals just to draw the dragon out of hiding?!"

"Marvelous, don't you think? After all, it's practically a crime in itself for those Animals to even be living, with all the problems they cause this great and wonderful nation."

Fiyero bit his tongue, furiously attempting to hold back the slew of profanity he longed to spill. "Yes, it is . . . marvelous," he said thickly.

"Excellent! I will see you tomorrow evening!" Morrible said.

Fiyero cast his eyes to the window. Just outside was Silverlight, who had heard the whole conversation. Without a word, Silverlight took off to deliver the urgent news to Liiku and Elphaba.

* * *

"WHAT?!" Liiku roared.

Silverlight recoiled, and began to tremble slightly. "I--I'm only the m-messenger! I'm only saying what Madame Morrible herself had said!"

Liiku paced back and forth furiously. "How dare she? How _dare _she?! I'll rip her apart! I'll kill that witch!"

Elphaba placed a hand on his arm. "Liiku I know you're angry, but you can't--"

"Can't _what_?!" he growled, snapping at her. "I'm going to the Emerald City! And I'll make an example of _her_!"

"No! It's a trap! She's using this to lure you out! You can't do this!"

"I'm not letting her get away with this!" Liiku snarled, and he shoved his way past Elphaba and stormed out the door. He wasted no time; the second he was outside, his wings sprouted from his shoulder and with a single flap he took off into the air.

"LIIKU!" Elphaba yelled. "Damn him!" she cursed. Racing to find her broom, she set off after him. _There goes his new stupid resolution,_ she thought bitterly. He was walking right into a trap, and he knew it. What was that idiot thinking?! Stupid, stupid, stupid Liiku!

She urged her broom as fast as it could go, with the winds roaring past her deafeningly. Tears stung her eyes as the icy wind pierced her. But she wasn't catching up to Liiku he was already far ahead of her and gaining distance.

_Damn you, Liiku!_ Elphaba thought. Regardless, she kept going.

* * *

Fiyero wanted to kill every single guard up on that platform with him. He wanted to take out his sword and just kill that disgusting Morrible woman, who was standing ever-so idily by with that damn stupid smirk on her fat ugly face. Fiyero hated this! None of these Animals deserved death! Perhaps they deserved jail time, but they were petty crimes, for the love of Lurline! None of them deserved to die!

A few low-ranking guards lead seven Animals to the gallows, each to their own noose. Their eyes were wide in terror, they cried out and pleaded for mercy, they cried out to their gods to save them, but that only made the crowds jeer louder and taunt them all the more. A Ram whimpered fearfully, and tried to break free of the guard that held him. Another, a Bobcat, simply went to her place, silently crying with her head cast downwards with grief.

If there was a Hell on Earth, this was Fiyero's. Standing there and watching innocents die without being able to do a goddamn thing about it.

With the Animals' necks secured within the nooses, Morrible approached center stage for her speech. "Citizens of Oz! These abominations you see before you are guilty of the most heinous of crimes! Of destroying our fair land and casting it into misery and depression! These are our enemies, and the enemies of all of Oz! They are a curse upon our land, and must be punished!"

The crowds roared with agreement, thirsty for blood, and began to chant for the hanging to proceed. Morrible glanced at Fiyero, and gave him a single nod. Begin the slaughter.

Fiyero closed his eyes and approached the gallows, resting his hand hesitantly on the lever that would send the Animals to their makers. He hesitated. He can't do this! He can't kill them! Not like this.

"Captain, if you will," Morrible said calmly.

Fiyero clenched his eyes tightly. _God, forgive me,_ he thought.

A shrill animal roar ripped through the air. Fiyero jerked his head up, and saw a monstrous black figure bolting through the sky straight for them.

_Liiku?!_

It was him, in his dragon form, flying at them at top speed. He crashed into the stage, furiously swatting at any guards that got in his way. He let out another thunderous roar of rage, making the crowds panic and scatter off into the city. Liiku turned, and with a single flick of his tail, he severed the ropes around the Animals' necks. Terrified of the fierce dragon, they too ran for cover.

Morrible was on the platform, and raised her hands to cast a powerful spell, but Liiku swatted her like a fly before she had the chance to cast it.

"MORRIBLE! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" Liiku roared. "I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER!" He swiped at her again, sending her flying through the air and crashing into the side of a building. Morrible's head cracked sickeningly against the brick wall, and before she had time to recover, Liiku had grabbed her in his claws and took off into the night sky.

"Liiku, what the hell are you doing?" Fiyero muttered to himself.

* * *

Blackness. For a moment that was all she saw. Then, red. A lot of red. Her eyes flickered open, and she saw the monstrous black dragon. It was flying . . . she was clutched in its talons--

Pain.

She didn't feel it at first, but now--oh dear Oz, so much pain. Its claws were diffing deep into her sides, and she let out a cry of agony. Her silken gown was drenched in her own blood. The dragon twisted its head to look down at her, and flew to ground level, where it carelessly dropped her on the cobblestone streets below. It paced arouns her, smoke curling between its fangs, its glowing yellow eyes burning like a demon's.

"I am going to enjoy this immensely," the dragon hissed, and laughed hauntingly. Morrible tried to stand, tried to move, but she was so weak. Blood poured from the wounds in her side. She raised a shaky hand and began to chant a pwerful spell. The dragon laughed, and with a motion too fast for the human eye to see, it twisted its head and snapped off her hand with a single bite.

A firey blast of pain erupted from her arm. She screamed in agony, clutching the remaining stump of her arm. The dragon just continued to laugh at her.

"All the suffering you have done unto the Animals, all the grief you have cause Elphaba, all the pain you have inflicted unto the innocents, will seem like a blessing after what I am about to do to you!" the dragon hissed. It curled its lips up into an insane smile, and reared its head back, a spark of fire igniting in its jaws.

"Please . . . no . . ." Morrible gasped between sobs of pain.

"No mercy for the wicked," the dragon laughed, and it cast a blazing ball of fire at Morrible. She was immersed in a tidal wave of fire, and screamed louder than ever. She could feel her skin burn and peel away, she can feel her clothes, her hair, her face, everything, catch fire. The flames are only there for an instant, but the damage was more than enough. Her skin was cracked and charred beyond recognition, only ashes remained of her fine clothes. Her throat was burned so badly that she couldn't scream with the unbearable pain.

The dragon's cruel smile grew wider, enjoying her torture immensely. "How does it feel, Madame?" he growled. "How does it feel to be so helpless? How does it feel to know that you are going to die?" He laughed, and raised his tail high, showing off the three razor-blade spikes on his tail, each sharp enough to sever a mature tree if he desired. "I wonder, how much pain can a pathetic human like you withstand without dying? How many of your limbs can I rip off before it becomes too much? Shall I find out?"

All she remembered was pain. Blinding, agonizing pain. Bones snapped, flesh ripped, blood splattered agains tthe ground. She couldn't scream, couldn't move, couldn't defend herself.

And then there was blackness.

* * *

Liiku circled high into the air, roaring loudly to capture the citizen's attention. Some stood in the streets, pointing up at him in terror. Others fled. A few brave souls chased after him. Whatever the case, he had their attention.

He landed on the domed roof of the Emerald City Palace, and stood on his rear legs, not an easy task since he was meant to stand on all four in his dragon shape. He spread his bat-like wings wide, giving him a fierce appearance.

"Citizens of Oz!" he roared. The crowds that had gathered below him grew silent. "This will be your one and only warning! Kill the Wizard! Defame him as your ruler! Sentence him to death! If the Wizard is not dead by the end of the week, I will personally see to it that his head is severed, and his body charred beyond recognition! And I will do to you what I have done to your _glorified_, your _wonderous _Madame Morrible!"

At this, he held up her severed head for all of the Emerald City to see. A scream ripped through the crowds, and he laughed. He tossed her severed head into the air, and watched it fall and crack against the streets. The people scattered, absolutely terrified.

"The Wizard dies this week, be it by your hand or mine!" Liiku roared. _"His fate is sealed!"_


	27. Chapter 27

***Sigh* Wow, been a while, huh? I have a good excuse though. I am working on this huge art projet, which has pretty much consumed my life, so I had no time for this story at all. So please forgive the horrendously late update. I will try to be better, I promise! Good news or bad news, however you want to take this: the story's almost over, so hold on to your hats!**

* * *

Elphaba couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was a nightmare she desperately wanted to wake up from. She wanted it to stop, she begged this to be an elaborate and terrible dream.

But it wasn't.

Liiku was laughing-_laughing like a madman_-on top of the Palace, proudly displaying the grotesquely disfigured head of Morrible. Elphaba choked out a gasp of horror when she saw it.

How could he? _How could he? _This wasn't Liiku! Liiku would never do this! Liiku wasn't a monster!

She felt her knees almost give way beneath her, but she stood, shaking with horror, biting back the tears and the horrible truth. Liiku was out of control. He wasn't _him _anymore. All he was is a blood-thirsty monster.

He took off into the skies, still laughing insanely, and disappeared into the night.

"Oh, God, Liiku," she said to herself. "What's happened to you?"

* * *

Fiyero found the rest of Morrible's body in the morning. It was all over the alleyway between two tall, brick buildings. There was hardly anything left that even _resembled _a human body. An endless shower of dried blood covered the walls completely, there were a few charred remains of clothing and bones, but hardly any more than that. Fiyero turned away, unable to bear the terrible carnage any longer.

"What kind of monster is this dragon?" a passer-by asked, horrified.

"What kind of monster, indeed," Fiyero seethed. He clenched his fists. No matter how despicable, how cruel, how utterly heartless Morrible was, no matter how much he longed to kill her himself, this was too far. No one deserved this kind of death. No one.

The coroners did their best to clean up the body, but they told Fiyero solemnly that all they really could do was wait for the rain to wash away the blood. Until then, the alley was closed off. It did nothing for the sickening stench that hung overhead though.

"Lieutenant," Fiyero said, calling over his second-in-command.

"Yes, sir?" he saluted.

"Take over operations for a bit," he said. "I need to speak to a very old friend."

Fiyero turned turned to leave, but stopped when he saw a few men gathered around the crime scene. They all had the same look in their eyes: anger, and determination.

"Sir, if it is alright with you, we would like to offer our assistance to track down and kill the dragon," one of the men said.

Fiyero nodded. "Thank you for offering your help. Your names?"

"Name's Froedinan Laers," the man introduced. "And these are my friends, Yuulik Sturs and Kivvist Thriggs."

Fiyero snapped his head around at the mention of the last name. "Thriggs?" _Liiku's own brother?_

"That would be me, sir," a man said, stepping forward.

The resemblance was striking. Although his hair color was a very dark brown, and his eyes were green, he still had the same lean frame and the same calculating gaze Liiku possessed. Fiyero stared at Kivvist, stunned, for a moment.

"You may continue on your way," he said hollowly. "Master Thriggs, may I have a word?"

The two men nodded, and left the scene, but Kivvist stayed behind, a curious look in his eyes. "Captain?"

"Are you the brother of Liiku Thriggs?" Fiyero asked.

Kivvist stiffened. "I don't have a brother."

Fiyero straightened himself. "You don't need to lie to me. I was friends with him at school. I knew him very well personally. I can tell you are his brother."

Kivvist closed his eyes, and sighed. "Alright, yes, I am his brother," he said angrily. "But damn it, I despise him for what he's done to my family! He has disgraced our family name!"

Fiyero raised an eyebrow. "And what did he do?"

"My mother, sister, and grandmother were killed by burglers. Slaughtered. And Liiku didn't even have the dignity to show his face at his own mother's funeral! You know why? Because he was too busy spending time in Southstair! He abandoned my family and left us to fend for ourselves! Not to mention he is a traitor for taking sides with the Witch! He is no brother of mine. And if you ever see him down in Southstair, send him my regards."

Fiyero nodded weakly. "I'll . . . I'll do that."

Kivvist nodded. "Thank you, Captain," he said, and went on his way.

Fiyero shook his head. Kivvist obviously didn't know his own brother was the dragon he was so eager to kill, but, Fiyero had a feeling that if he _did _know, it would only make Kivvist more eager to join the hunt.

* * *

"What in the name of Oz is wrong with you?" Elphaba shouted. "What has gotten into you?"

"And here I thought you would be happy for what I did," Liiku said with a hiss. "Morrible is a murderer! She was the one who was killing Animals! She was the one that killed my family! I thought you'd be happy to see her dead!"

"But to kill her like that! That was too far, Liiku!" Elphaba said.

"I wanted to make her suffer for what she did!" Liiku roared. "A criminal like her deserves it!"

Elphaba shook her head. "No one deserved that! Liiku, I'm worried about you! You're out of control! This isn't you! The Liiku I knew from Shiz wouldn't have ever killed someone!"

"And that naive pathetic little rat is dead and gone!" Liiku roared. "That Liiku had seen his fair share of grief and misery. Oh yes, he did. But he was never forced to stand by and watch helplessly as the ones he loved were slaughtered like cattle! And that humiliating excuse for a human being never tasted the raw power I now possess! And if that Liiku had seen what I had seen, he would have hunted down and killed every last damn follower of the Wizard and Morrible would have been dead long ago!"

"Liiku, please, listen to me," Elphaba said. She took his hands in her own. "This isn't you! You're letting this-this monster get to your head! You can't let the dragon consume you!"

"What makes you think it's the dragon?" he questioned viciously.

"Because no one would ever do such a horrible thing!"

"Then you have forgotten what those bastards did when they murdered my family!" Liiku said, whipping his hands away from Elphaba.

"You're no better than them!" Elphaba yelled. "If you think you're doing something good, you're wrong! You've become a monster! That's all you are!"

Liiku glared coldly at Elphaba. He narrowed his eyes, and a low growl rose from his throat. "Monster or not, my promise remains. I will kill the Wizard before the week is out."

"I won't let you," Elphaba said, clenching her fists.

"Why are you standing up for him? After everything he's done!" Liiku roared.

"He doesn't deserve to be killed like this!" Elphaba said. "He deserves justice, not to be mercilessly slaughtered by a monster like you!"

"SHUT UP!" Liiku roared, swiping at her. His hand barely grazed Elphaba's cheek. But it was more than enough.

Raising her hands, Elphaba shot him clear across the room with her magic. Liiku slammed into the wall, and slumped to the floor.

"Don't you _dare _lay a hand on me!" Elphaba shouted. She stormed up to him. "You are out of control!"

Liiku, still on his hands and knees, began to shake. _"Don't . . . don't come any closer . . ."_ he said in a hoarse voice.

"You look at me when I'm talking to you!" Elphaba said, and grabbed his arm.

_"DON'T TOUCH ME!"_ he roared, jerking his hand away from her. There was a loud _crack! _and black scales began to grow all along Liiku's arm. He screamed in pain, and collapsed to the ground.

"Liiku?" Elphaba asked, taking a step backwards.

He didn't respond, or even hear her words. He only writhed on the ground in pain as his human body was ripped and twisted to its other monsterish form. The changes accelerated accross Liiku's body, every change forcing another bellow of agony from Liiku. Elphaba took several steps backwards but did not run. Liiku's giant wings ripped from his shoulders, and a ghostly shriek filled the air. She covered her hands over her ears and could olny stand there and watch as he turned into a dragon. Liiku gave one final roar as his transformation completed, and his yellow eyes locked onto Elphaba. Hunching over, he crept towards her, a growl in his throat and his lips curled to reveal his enormous fangs.

"Liiku?" Elphaba said. "Liiku! It's me! Elphaba!"

He twisted and jerked his head, almost as if he was in pain. He roared yet again, banging his skull against the stone walls repeatedly. He stopped suddenly, and turned his gaze back at her. He snarled, and charged.

This time she ran. Running as fast as her legs could carry her, she ran from the castle with the raging dragon inside. She could hear Liiku roar and shriek. Glancing over, she saw Liiku squeeze out of the castle and take to the air, still shrieking with a terrible mixture of rage and pain.

Elphaba stared at the spot in the sky where Liiku had vanished. No, _the dragon_.

She collapsed to her knees. Liiku was dead. He had died a long time ago.

All that was left was a dragon, trying to disguise itself as her friend.

Bringing her hands up to her face, she wept.

* * *

Fiyero found her like that hours later, on her knees and shaking with grief. Carefully picking her up, he carried her through the shattered doorframe of the castle and sat her down as gracefully as he could at the kitchen table. He did her best to calm her down, whispering comforting words in her ear and running his hand through her black hair. She relaxedat his touch, and grabbed his hand tightly. Her strong eyes were glazed over into that thousand-yard stare. Fiyer sat himself next to her and pulled her close, and she rested her head against his chest.

"It's all my fault, Yero," she murmured some time later. "It's my fault he's like this."

"Don't say that," he said. "You did nothing wrong."

"It's my fault he's dead," she continued.

Fiyero paused, stiffening slightly. "What?"

"Liiku's dead. He's been dead for a long time now," she said hollowly. "There is no more Liiku! He's gone! There's only that terrible dragon. It destroyed him, Fiyero! Liiku . . . he's gone."

Fiyero was silent for a moment. "I agree. Elphaba, I'm so sorry, but you know what we have to do."

Elphaba closed her eyes tightly, waiting for his next words. Although she knew what they were.

"We have to kill him. We have to kill the dragon."


	28. Chapter 28

**Oh hey look an update!**

**Bet you never saw that coming.**

***Inhales***

**I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry**

**I'msorryI'msorryI'm****sorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry PLEASE FORGIVE THIS HORRENDOUSLY LATE UPDATE.**

* * *

Elphaba and Fiyero knew what they had to do. They had to prepare a counter-attack for when Liiku- no, the _dragon_- would attack. Liiku was gone. Elphaba knew she had to accept that. Liiku was dead and gone. There was only the dragon. Their friend was no more.

Fiyero knew this as well. They both silently grieved over the loss of one of their few true friends but they had to focus on a much bigger problem. They had to destroy this monster. Elphaba flipped through spell book after spell book in hopes of finding something that would be helpful.

"There has to be something in here that's strong enough to take down a dragon," Elphaba muttered under her breath.

"Guns are no good, the dragon's hide is bullet proof," Fiyero said.

"As well as fire-proof," Elphaba mumbled under her breath. "We could try to drown it . . ."

"The river around the Emerald City isn't nearly deep enough and it's too far from the Palace," Fiyero interjected thoughtfully. "We need something closer . . ."

"I'll keep looking for something," Elphaba said. "You need to return to the city and prepare your men for the attack."

Fiyero pressed his hands on the table and stood himself up. "Elphaba . . . the dragon will attack in less than two days. We don't have much time."

Elphaba closed her eyes. "I know, Yero . . . but we have to try! We can't just sit back and let this monster continue killing. We have to stop it."

"You know as well as I do if you get in that thing's way it will kill you too," Fiyero said. He looked up at her. His sapphire eyes were filled with the most profound look of sadness and hurt she had ever seen. "If we can't come up with a way to stop it . . . you must stay away from the City."

"Fiyero, how can you possibly-" Fiyero rose his hand to silence her.

"I don't want you to get hurt. Please, Fae, I love you."

Elphaba clenched her fists, and dropped her gaze to the spell book laying before her. "I know. But I can't just sit back! I want to help."

"And I'm not going to let you get killed," Fiyero said sternly.

"We can either argue about this all day or we can continue looking for a way to kill this damn thing," Elphaba said sharply. "Now I don't know about you but I'm going to keep looking!" She furiously sat back down in her chair and started reading the nearest spell book. Her hard eyes tore across the page, merely skimming over the words scrawled on the parchment. As she read, Fiyero noticed angry tears in her eyes.

"Elphaba . . . ?" he asked unsurely. She snapped her book shut abruptly and rose to her feet, startling Fiyero.

"I'm going to look in Liiku's old room. There might be something there," she said quietly. Before Fiyero could utter another word, she took off down the hall and up the spiral staircase that lead to Liiku's now abandoned room. Once out of earshot of Fiyero, she let the tears fall freely.

She was furious- furious that she felt so helpless in this whole situation, furious she hadn't kept a more careful eye on Liiku, furious that she let that monster destroy her closest friend. Angrily wiping her sleeve across her eyes, she slammed open the door leading to Liiku's chamber.

But someone was already inside.

Elphaba froze, and stared at the creature in front of her. It was Liiku, hunched over a chest containing several papers and books, with one hand holding a bookbag into which he was stuffing the books into . . . but he wasn't human. But neither was he in his dragon form. He was in a form somewhere in between. His long black tail snaked around his body and his feet were the same shape as his dragon form. Black scales covered the entirety if his arms and legs, claws replacing his nails, and some scales were even creeping up his neck. His massive wings were folded against his back, and a faint ridge of spikes could be seen poking through his skin along his back.

They stared at one another- both completely caught off guard at the other's sudden appearance. Liiku stared at her with his yellow eyes, and opened his mouth to say something, but quickly silenced himself. With a low growl, he sprung to his feet and ran out of the room

"WAIT!" Elphaba cried. Liiku didn't listen to her. He ran into the second room, and flew out of the gaping hole in the wall. His wings pumped him through the sky and he vanished into the night.

Elphaba stared at the sky. Her head rushed with confusion. What exactly just happened? What was Liiku doing . . .

_No,_ she reminded herself fervently. _That wasn't Liiku. It was the dragon! _

_But his eyes_ . . . in her mind seared the fresh image of Liiku looking back at her with those horrible yellow eyes.

Eyes filled with pain, regret, sadness . . . _humanity . . ._

She shook her head. It wasn't possible. Her mind was simply playing cruel tricks on her. She wanted Liiku back, and her mind was trying to make her believe he was still somewhere in there . . . he was gone. The dragon had destroyed every last remnant of her friend.

She went back into the main room and looked around. Li- _the dragon_- had taken several of Liiku's personal journals. Spell books had been thrown haphazardly around the room as the creature dug for whatever was at the bottom of the chest.

She also noticed all of his tape recorders were missing, except for one. Tentatively, she picked it up. It had only a single marking carved into its side- _TAPE I._

Tape 1? Curiously, she pressed the play button.

There was a dry crackle as the tape recorder played, but through the crackle, Elphaba heard what sounded like a wracking sob. The longer she listened, the more apparent it became. Someone was crying. Elphaba pulled the recorder closer to her ear.

_"They're dead . . ." _she finally heard a rough voice whimper through the crackle. Liiku. _"They're dead . . . Bieynn . . . Mother . . . Grandma . . . they're dead." _Another pause, filled only with Liiku's cries._ "And it's all my fault. I . . . I was such an idiot. I got them killed . . . I was so desperate . . . what the fuck, why am I making excuses? No, I'm pathetic. I wanted to impress her . . . I wanted to show her I wasn't uselsess . . ." _

Her? Elphaba thought.

_"I wanted to show Elphaba . . . how much I loved her. I wanted to do something for her . . . but fuck it! Fuck it! Why does she need me, she has a fucking prince at her side! I'm so pathetic! I tried to prove her innocent with my writing but a fat lot of help that did! I'm so useless . . ."_

Elphaba sat on the bed, and curled her legs up to her chest. Hearing his voice and how much pain he was in hurt Elphaba jst as much. And the most terrible thing about it was she was there, she was there when his family died, but she did nothing to comfort him.

"I want to do something . . . I want to prove I'm somebody . . . I just want to help. But how can I?" There was a very, very long pause. Elphaba couldn't even hear Liiku sobbing anymore, and wondered if the tape had ended. But the crackling continued, so she waited and listened.

_"I can help her . . ." Liiku said. _But now his voice was steady. Focused. Determined. _"I can read the spell books . . . there is something I can do for her . . . I can help her . . . I know I promised myself I wouldn't do any magic without Elphaba's help, but I'm through waiting. I am going to perform the dragon summoning spell. And then I can prove to her I'm not useless!"_

The tape stopped. The air was filled with dead silence. Elphaba cntinued to sit on the bed, looking down at the tape recorder.

She closed her eyes. "You weren't useless, Liiku . . ." she whispered. He had done much for her. He did everything he could. He had sacrificed all he had for her. Why didn't he see that?

Fiyero came up a short while later. "Are you feeling alright," he asked her gently. He took a seat next to her and wrapped his arm lovingly around her shoulder.

"Yes, I'm alright," Elphaba said. She held out the tape recorder to him. "I found this. It's Liiku's."

Fiyero glanced over it. "What did he record?"

"He was talking about his family. How they died. He . . . he was destroyed," she said slowly. She could still remember all to clearly the sound of his voice and how it was twisted with pain. "He said he felt uselsess . . . and he said he loved me . . ."

Fiyero let out a very small smile. "I know."

"I don't know what to do, Yero," Elphaba said. "I want our Liiku back. I miss him."

Fiyero brushed away a stray tear from her cheek. "I never thought I'd say this but I miss him too. But we can't bring him back. There's nothing left _to_ bring back. I'm so sorry."

She nodded. "I know. I know what we have to do."

Fiyero stood. "Then I need to get going to the Emerald City. I have to getready to fight this thing."

"And I'll be there, as well," Elphaba reminded him. He sighed.

"Please. I only ask you be careful."

"You're not going to try to stop me?" Elphaba said, raising an eyebrow.

"No, you'll just ignore me," Fiyero said, kissing her on the forehead.


	29. Chapter 29

Never had Glinda felt so scared. So helpless.

All of Oz was looking to her for support and encouragement. To give them reassuring words, to tell them that the menacing dragon will no longer terrorize their lands. She couldn't do it anymore. She was scared out of her wits, barely even able to compose herself. How was she supposed to comfort a nation when she could do nothing to comfort herself?

Oscar, the Wizard, was in as much of an emotional wreck as she was, if not more. After all, today was the dreaded day that the dragon had viciously sworn to slay the Wizard. The people of the Emerald City were in an absolute panic. No one dared to leave their homes and any who ventured into the streets kept a close eye to the clouds and rushed to the closest form of shelter as fast as they possibly could. There were whispers in the shadows about killing the Wizard so they may be spared of any havoc the dragon was sure to unleash, and it was all Glinda could do to silence these whispers and reassure all of Oz that their Wizard was much more powerful than any scaley beast.

Which Glinda and Oscar both knew was completely and totally a lie.

Oscar whimpered. "What do we do, Glinda?"

She paced, not even answering him. What could she possibly say? She knew very little magic, and certainly nothing even remotely close in power to deal with a problem this big. She was completely helpless, and she hated herself so much for that. She could do nothing, not for herself, not for the innocent people, nothing.

Fiyero marched into the throne room unannounced, startling them both. His expression was serious and steadfast, but forlorn. He looked Glinda directly in the eyes and let out a soft breath.

"We must prepare for the dragon. I will station my men around the palace. We will try to hold it off and hopefully we can do enough damage to it to weaken the creature and drive it back," he said.

Oscar shook his head. "But what if we can't fight it of? What if we can't drive it back? That thing is practically immortal! What if we can't kill it?"

"The only thing we can do is try our best," Fiyero said slowly. "I'm sorry, but that is all I can offer you."

Glinda covered her mouth with her hand. Tears threatened to spill and it was all she could do to supress a loud sob. Fiyero put a comforting hand on her shoulder and guided her away from Oscar, so they could talk in peace.

"I don't know what to do," she cried. "I feel so helpless! There's nothing I can do!"

"You did everything you could, but now you must let me do what I can," Fiyero said. "I'll do everything in my power to fight this demon off." He leaned closer and lowered his voice. "And so will Elphaba."

Glinda's eyes went wide. "Elphaba?"

"She'll come as well. We will both fight this monster."

Glinda didn't know what to say. "What? No . . . no, she can't! She'll get herself killed! I can't let her do that!"

"Glinda, please," Fiyero said. "She may be the only one powerful enough to stop it. And you know her; she won't stand back and let this thing destroy Oz."

Glinda lowered her head. She sniffed, and rubbed the tears from her eyes away with the back of her hand. "And. . . what about Liiku? He's with you, isn't he?"

Fiyero turned his head away. "Liiku . . . was one of the many poor souls to be claimed by the dragon," he said bitterly. It was close enough to the truth. After all, the dragon did destroy whatever remained of him. Glinda didn't need to know.

Glinda gasped. "No . . ."

"I have to go," Fiyero said, pulling away. Glinda grabbed his hand, spinning him around, and hugged him fiercely around his chest.

"Please . . . be careful," she whispered.

Fiyero hugged her back. "I promise."

Night was upon them.

The sun had set, and the darkness of dusk descended upon the Emerald City like an ebony blanket. In the middle of the sprawling city was the Emerald Palace, set alight by countless fires. The surrounding area was submersed in an orange glow, fighting back the all-consuming darkness. Torches lined every corner, every street, every available perch to create as much light as possible, so the dragon could not easily surprise them in the cover of darkness.

Fiyero circled around the palace, ensuring all his men were in place. Oscar and Glinda were secured in a safe room deep within the Palace walls, safe from any immediate harm, or so Fiyero hoped. He did his best to suppress his rising anxiety, a task far easier said than done. He could easily see most of them were scared out of their wits, from the way they held their firearms and cross-bows. A few small catapults were quickly shoved into the streets surrounding the palace to offer further protection, but they were far from safe. As powerful as the catapults were, they could not adjust to a moving target very well at all. Fiyero closed his eyes. If only they had a weapon powerful enough to give them a fighting chance.

His gaze drifted out to the city. All citizens within the immediate vicinity were evacuated, and even more left the city altogether, seeking shelter in the suburbs. But he knew one person was out there, waiting in the shadows.

Elphaba.

He wasn't sure where she was, but he knew she was there. Waiting. Probably just as terrified as he was, if not more so.

He unconsciously gripped his sword hilt. It was late. When would the dragon strike?

An hour passed. And another. But nothing moved, nothing stirred. Not a word was spoken, not even the wind howled. Fiyero was getting anxious.

A sudden gust picked up, making the flames on the fire flicker, and he turned into the gust. And he saw a shadowy figure moving fast against the black clouds.

_It was here._

_"EVERYONE! THE DRAGON IS HERE! TO YOUR STATIONS NOW! MOVE!" _Fiyero shouted.

There was a mad scramble, and the first line of archers and shooters open-fired at the dragon, which could now be seen making a clear b-line for the palace. The arrows and bullets bounced harmlessly off the dragon's hide, just like always, but a few arrows and bullets managed to pierce through the leathery membrane of the dragon's wings, forcing it to hiss and screech with pain.

Fiyero brought up his own gun. "EVERYONE! AIM FOR THE WINGS!"

"YOU WILL ALL DIE!" the dragon roared, spewing out a massive torrent of fire at the soldiers. The beast crashed onto the palace roof, swiping away whatever soldiers were unfortunate enough to be within striking distance. Its tail whipped around, the vicious spikes severing men in half, leaving a slew of bodies behind.

Fiyero fired again and again at the thing, ripping bullet hole after bullet hole in its wings. It screeched, rearing its head back and baring its massive fangs. Fiyero reached for his sword and sliced at its leg. Although the scratch he made hardly drew blood, it did get the creature's attention. Its eyes burned with hatred and hunger. Sparks flew from between its teeth.

"Come get me you ugly bastard," Fiyero snarled.

The dragon roared, reaching out to snap at him, but he easily dodged. He stabbed his sword into its scales, and pulled himself onto the dragon's back. The dragon thrashed around violently, trying to buck Fiyero off, but his sword penetrated deep into the dragon's flesh and he refused to let go. The dragon took off into the sky, beating its bleeding wings furiously. Despite the many holes and rips its wings now had, the dragon was still able to climb high into the air. And then, it plummeted straight down into the palace roof.

Fiyero held on for dear life and brought his body as close as he could to the dragon's back. He shielded his head, and felt the dragon burst through the roof. Concrete, cement, and glass scratched at Fiyero's body but he was not seriously hurt. He kept holding on, even as the dragon snaked its way through the many halls of the Palace. And to his horror, the dragon was heading straight for the safe room.

"I CAN SMELL YOU, COWARD!" the dragon screeched. The dragon clawed at the far wall, and Fiyero felt his heart drop. Glinda and Oscar were behind that wall!

Fiyero yanked his sword out of the dragon's skin and leapt off his back. "HEY YOU, YOU SLIMY SON OF A BITCH!" Fiyero roared, slicing at the dragon's wing. The dragon howled in pain and twisted around, smoke seething from his nostrils. "It's me you want!"

The dragon snapped its jaws at him, just barely grazing his arm. Fiyero leapt out of the way and pulled out his gun.

Everything that happened next was a blur. He saw himself point the barrel of the gun straight at the dragon, their eyes locking in the process. Fiyero felt his finger squeeze the trigger, and the dragon's head snapped forward, almost too fast for him to see. The next thing Fiyero knew, he heard a sickening cracking noise and his entire arm exploded in pain.

He screamed in agony, and the dragon jerked his head away, leaving an arch of blood in the air. Fiyero immediately clamped his right hand over his left shoulder which was white-hot with pain.

_But his arm wasn't there._

Fiyero pulled his hand away from his bleeding stump of an arm and stared at his hand, covered in his own blood.

_His arm was gone, his arm was gone, his arm was gone-_

He howled with pain, the shock, the sheer agony ripping apart his body. He slumped to the ground and helplessly watched his very own blood pool around him. The dragon advanced on him, spitting out his arm still clamped in its jaws.

It waited. What was it waiting for? _Why didn't it just kill him already? Why was it just standing there?_

A bright flash of light hit the dragon squarely in his side, and he crashed against the palace wall. In a blur of black and green, Elphaba raced in with her broom. She landed in front of Fiyero and stood before him defensively.

_"DAMN YOU, DON'T YOU LAY A HAND ON HIM!" _Elphaba shrieked.

Guards flooded the room, and stopped in stunned silence when they saw the witch standing in front of their Captain. The dragon shook his head, and snorted loudly.

Fiyero ripped off his jacket and tied it around his arm. "What are you standing there for? KILL THE DAMN THING!" Fiyero roared.

The man only hesitated for a second before open-firing at the dragon. The dragon hissed angrily, but continued hacking at the wall separating Glinda and the Wizard from the dragon. Soon, he broke through the wall, leaving them both completely exposed.

Elphaba screamed loudly, and shot another powerful blast of magic at the dragon. The dragon roared, twisting around to snap at her. She managed to dodge, claws just skimming over her dress and cape. He roared again, trying to swat Elphaba with his massive claws, but thanks to Elphaba's enchanted broom and the constant barrage of bullets, the dragon was too slow to land a blow on her.

Fiyero was taken to the back of the room where several of his men immediately began to treat his injury. One came up with a flat, molten hot piece of iron, and gave Fiyero a very empathetic look.

"This will hurt, sir," he said apologetically.

Fiyero knew what was coming. He turned away, and felt several hands hold him to the ground. There was a loud hissing noise, and more white-hot pain streaking through his entire body. He screamed and thrashed in pain, and felt tears leak from his eyes. Soon the pain stopped, and felt another begin to bandage his shoulder and torso.

The world around him was such a blur . . . everything happened so slowly, images clouded together, threatening to fade into blackness. He only caught brief images of the battle. A flash of fire. Another last of magic. Another shot of a gun. The noise was deafening, leaving nothing but a dull ringing in his ears. The pain was numbing. He couldn't feel anything. He could feel himself grow weaker.

Another image. This time of the dragon's great and terrible yellow eyes-

Wait! _The eyes!_

More images flashed through his mind, but these were memories. He remembered the first time seeing those horrible eyes. Eyes that burned from within. Eyes of a demon.

_The eyes! The eyes are the softest and weakest points on the body!_

Fiyero pushed himself to his feet, ignoring his protesting men, ignoring his blinding pain. One thing mattered.

"ELPHABA!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. She looked over her shoulder at him. "THE EYES, ELPHABA! AIM FOR THE EYES!" He grabbed a spear in his remaining hand and threw it to her. She grabbed it out of the air, and turned around back to the dragon. His head was so close to hers, ready to strike, ready to bite her.

She was staring straight into the eyes of the dragon. Its yellow orbs glowed, focusing on her. Flames snaked around her, ready to consume her. One eye, however, was cloudier than the other. The left eye. The one that was blind. She looked straight into that dead eye, and time all but froze for that single instant.

The dragon raised its jaws. Elphaba reacted immediately. She plunged the spear deep into the dragon's eye.

The creature let out a shrieking wail and reared back, clawing at its eye. Elphaba felt herself collapse to one knee, pressing her hands against her ears to try to block out the unholy wail. But it seemed to stretch for an eternity. It twisted and thrashed against the interior of the palace, still letting out that horrible wail. It collapsed onto its stomach, still gurgling. But after several minutes of twitching and shrieking hisses, the dragon went limp. Its head rolled against the ground, its long forked tongue hung out of its jaws, and a pool of blood surrounded the dragon.

No one moved. All eyes were upon the dragon. Elphaba could hardly believe it. She had killed it. She killed the dragon.

There was a scuffle behind her, and she twisted around. The guards, still terrified, all trained their weapons on her.

"God damn you all! Put your guns down!" Oscar said angrily. Elphaba jumped and turned to face him. He pushed his way to the crowd, and approached her. "Don't you see? She saved us. She saved us all! She killed the monster! She is a hero!" He approached her, and to everyone's surprise, he embraced her. "I was so wrong about you. You aren't wicked! You are our savior!"

Elphaba exhaled slowly. "I-"

Oscar stepped backwards and turned to the soldiers. "All of you, listen here! From this day forward, this woman you see before you is no longer wicked! She is good and just and has saved this country from ruin! As a matter of fact, she will be appointed as Grand Viziers of all of Oz immediately!"

"What?" Elphaba gasped.

Oscar turned back to her. "I can never thank you enough for saving my life, and for saving my men. You have my sincerest gratitude, Miss Elphaba," he said, taking a bow.

Elphaba didn't know what to think. She just killed a dragon and now this? It was too much to take in all at once. But immediately, she composed herself.

"If that is the case, then I have one request, as your new Vizier," Elphaba said.

"Of course. Anything."

"Give the Animals their rights back. I want them to be treated as equals. As citizens. I will not tolerate seeing an Animal being treated as anything less!" she said firmly.

Oscar nodded. "You heard the woman! Starting tomorrow, these new laws shall be enforced! That all Animals are to be treated as equal citizens and with respect!"

Elphaba felt an overwhelming feeling of relief wash over her. All her years of fighting, all her years of battling the Wizard, it was over. It was all over.

And yet . . .

She walked over to the body of the dragon, and knelt by its head. This creature destroyed her friend. She hated it. She hated how many lives it claimed, how much it had destroyed. But whenever she looked at it, she saw Liiku. She could still see a faint glimmer of her friend within the beast.

And she hated that the most.

She reached out and placed her hand against his snout. If only Liiku could control this monster . . . if only.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned. It was Glinda.

"Glinda . . ." Elphaba breathed.

"Oh, Elphie!" The blond flung her arms around her dear friend, and the two grasped each other tightly. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you as well," Elphaba whispered. "I'm happy to see you again."

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you too!" Glinda sobbed. "I'm so happy we're together again!"

"Wait, where's Fiyero?" Elphaba asked, pushing herself to her feet. Glinda turned around and scoured the mass of guards standing around them.

"I don't see him . . ."

Elphaba stepped forward. "Where is Fiyero?"

The crowds shuffled uncomfortably, but when Elphaba continued to advance, the crowds parted before her, revealing Fiyero sitting against the back wall, with a few other men crowding around him. But they too parted, and looked at the two women with empathy.

"I'm sorry, madam, we did what we could."

Glinda gasped. "Fiyero, no . . ."

Elphaba walked in a daze up to Fiyero. He looked so pale. He could hardly keep himself upright, and his breathing was shallow and haggard. And all across his torso were bandages, and a lot of blood. His jacket was draped over his shoulders, but Elphaba was not one to be fooled so easily.

"Yero . . . your arm . . ." she said in a weak voice.

He lifted his head and gave her a weak smile. "Hey," he said.

Elphaba knelt by his side and gripped him tightly. She felt the tears come and she did not stop them. "Oh, Yero . . . I am so sorry."

"At least I have a spare," he said, still smiling. He lifted his hand and ran his fingers through her beautiful hair and pulled her close. She gripped him tighter. "It's a small sacrifice to make."

"you promised me you wouldn't get hurt you idiot," she snapped bitterly.

He chuckled and kissed her head. "Hey, everything is going to be alright now. Everything is going to be fine. We're together now. It's ok." He continued to run his hand through her hair. "Everything will be ok."

Elphaba closed her eyes and leaned against his chest, her grip around him never wavering.

"It's all over."

They both closed their eyes and let sleep overtake them. Both were exhausted after a long and hard battle. But Fiyero was right. Elphaba knew that. He was right.

_It's over . . ._


	30. Epilogue

**First things first: thank you everyone for your feedback and comments! They really helped me get through this story and I honestly don't think I would have finished this if not for you. THANK YOU ALL!**

**This story has been . . . well it's been interesting. I admit it's not the best one I have written and it does need a lot of work. But hey, it's over now and all we need to do now is move on. **

**And now, may I present the epilogue. **

* * *

_**The Night Before The Dragon Attacked**_

A man, shaggy and haggard in appearance, stumbled his way down the dark, poorly-lit alleyways of the Emerald City. Not all of the city was brilliant and green. In this particular section, it was filled with filth and dirt. Trash of all kind scattered the roads, and the buildings loomed overhead, decaying and dying right before him.

A nearly empty bottle of cheap whiskey was clenched in the man's hand. Absent-mindedly, he swung the bottle to his lips and took another sip. These past few months have not been kind to him. Family murdered by burglers. Brother was a no-good, lousy, filthy, scumbag of a traitor. Kivvist's hand clutched the bottle tighter. Damn him. _Damn _him. Filthy ingrate. Disgrace of a brother. Kivvist prayed that Liiku was still alive just so he could beat the shit out of him for everything he did.

He reached his apartment and carried his drunk ass up the stairs to his room. He reached for his key, which he just couldn't seem to clutch in his shaking and numb hands. Cursing loudly, he managed to dig the key into the lock and pry his door open.

Someone was already inside.

Kivvist stopped dead in his tracks. Inside his apartment was a hooded figure, clothed in a robe covering him from head to foot. A gloved hand reached out from beneath the cloak and pulled back the hood a tiny bit, revealing a hint of the face beneath the hood.

"Liiku," Kivvist hissed between clenched teeth. He could never forget his own brother's face. That traitor. That disgrace of a brother!

"Kivvist, I need your help," Liiku said in a quiet voice. He kept the hood of the cloak tightly wrapped around his head, revealing only his face. And for some reason, he had a patch around his left eye. Kivvist's hand began to shake with rage. How dare he? How dare he show his face? After everything he's done!

"Why the hell should I help you? You abandoned our family! You're nothing but a traitor!" Kivvist screamed. "Now get the fuck out or I'll beat the fucking shit out of you!"

"Just listen to me," Liiku said in the same quiet voice. "I don't have a lot of time-"

Kivvist would hear none of it. He raced up to him and grabbed him by the collar of his cloak. "Get out!" Kivvist threw him to the ground, ripping the cloak way from him and knocking Liiku to the ground. And Kivvist nearly screamed when he saw what was beneath the cloak.

Liiku's body was anything but human. His arms, his feet, and his torso were covered in black scales. His legs and feet no longer looked human; they were twisted and warped to resemble that of a dragon's-_the _dragon. Liiku took a deep breath and closed his eyes, slowly pulling off his gloves as he did so. His hands were also covered in black scales. Claws replaced nails, and his hands looked more like reptilian paws. A long serpentine tail extended from his spine. Wings folded around him, almost shamefully. Liiku reached up to his eye patch and pulled it off, revealing a glowing hellish yellow lizard eye. Kivvist felt himself take a few steps backwards. His bottle of whiskey slipped from his grasp and shattered on the ground.

"What . . . _what the hell . . . _?" Kivvist choked.

Liiku pushed himself to his feet. "I . . . I made a horrible mistake. I'm . . . I'm not human anymore. I am the dragon all of Oz fears."

Kivvist stumbled backwards. "I don't understand . . ."

"The only thing you need to understand is that I transformed myself into a monster," Liiku said bitterly, clenching his fists. "I can't control it. It's . . . it's consuming me. I can feel it trying to control me . . . and I can't stop it! I can't even transform back into a human anymore! It's destroying me!" He fell to his knees and buried his head in his scaley hands. "I don't have much time until it takes over completely . . ."

Kivvist didn't know what to do. What the hell was going on, exactly?

"Why did you come here?" Kivvist stuttered moments later. He stared at his deformed brother. He couldn't believe it . . . his own flesh and blood was the murderous dragon.

Liiku, to Kivvist's shock, started crying. _Crying_. Like a child.

"I'm a monster . . ." he whispered. "I . . . I killed so many people. I tried to stop it. But I can't. I can't stop it!" Liiku started shaking, and his wings fell limply to his side. "I mean, just look at me! I'm losing control. I can feel it . . . in my head . . . it wants to kill you, Kivvist. It's so hungry . . . it wants blood. Please, _please_, you have to help me. I can't stop it . . . "

Kivvist took a few hesitant steps towards his brother. "How is this possible?"

"I fucked up, ok?" Liiku cried. "I fucked up on a goddamn magic spell! And I turned myself into a raging dragon!" Liiku threw out his hands. "It wasn't always like this. I could control it. I could change back and forth whenever I wanted. But now . . ." He stared down at his hands, his wings, and his tail, all curled around him. "I . . . I can't even do that. It's too painful. _And it won't let me!"_

Kivvist lowered himself to his knees, and placed a hand on Liiku's shoulder. Despite everything he did, despite his cowardly actions, Kivvist couldn't help but pity his poor brother. Liiku was in pain, that much was clear. And no matter how much he hated him . . . he couldn't abandon him now.

"Please. Tell me what happened," Kivvist said. Liiku pushed himself upright, and Kivvist helped pull him to his feet. Liiku winced, and clutched his head. Kivvist guided him over to the bed, where Liiku crumpled on top of it carelessly.

"You have to believe me when I say that the Witch of the West isn't wicked," Liiku said, still clutching his head. "She's innocent. I _know _her. She's a good person. She's just a scapegoat. I was trying so hard to prove that . . . but it was never enough. So . . . I did _this _to myself," Liiku said with disgust, flicking his tail. "It . . . wasn't supposed to be like this though. I wanted to summon a dragon, not become one." He hissed loudly, and brought up both hands to his head.

"Are you ok?" Kivvist asked.

"I'm alright," he assured. "Just . . . I'm still changing. _It_ wants to take over my body. I'm doing all I can to fight it back. I don't know how much longer I can fight it . . ."

He doubled over, and two silver horns began to grow on Liiku's forehead. Liiku let out a growl of pain. They grew about a foot in length before they stopped growing, and Liiku collapsed weakly back onto the bed. Kivvist noticed that from where the horns had sprouted, there was fresh blood.

"I'm running out of time," Liiku said. Terror was in his voice. His eyes streamed with silent tears, and he wouldn't meet Kivvist's gave. "It's . . . taking everything I have . . . just to hold that damn dragon back." His hands started shaking, and he doubled over again, his arms wrapped around his tomach. "Please, please, Elphaba . . . Fiyero . . . forgive me. Please forgive me. I didn't want this to happen. Any of it. I'm so sorry. I can't control it. It's . . . it's killing me . . . "

Kivvist felt so helpless. His brother was literally being ripped apart and he could do nothing for him. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I want you to deliver a message to Fiyero and Elphaba when I die," Liiku said.

Kivvist stared at him. _"What?"_

Liiku gave him a painful smile. "The day I killed Morrible was when I realized I could no longer control the dragon. It took over my body and mind completely. I couldn't do a damn thing to stop it. I knew I was going to kill and keep killing. I needed to be stopped. I needed someone to kill me. And the funny thing . . ." he let out a coarse chuckle. "The funny thing . . . I'll be able to do what I always wanted. I'll finally be able to prove Elphaba is innocent. By killing me . . . she will be a hero . . ."

Kivvist's jaw dropped. "You're . . . you're going to let yourself get killed?"

"It's the only choice I have left," Liiku said somberly. "Soon, the dragon will destroy me completely. I don't want to let that monster take over. I want this. I want to die. I want it all to just end. Don't you see what I am now? I am the greatest enemy Oz has ever seen, greater than even the Wicked Witch. And if I were to die by her hand . . . everything will be ok."

Kivvist lowered his head. "I understand."

Liiku threw his arms around Kivvist and pulled him close. "I am so sorry for everything. I wanted to help, I wanted to make Oz a better place. I am so sorry." He pulled away, and looked Kivvist in the eye. "Deliver this final message to Elphaba and Fiyero for me. Tell them everything I have told you. Tell them I am sorry for everything that had happened. Tell them I am sorry for hurting them. Tell them I am so very sorry . . . I could not be stronger." He began shaking. "But also tell them . . . that I am happy to die. I am glad that my pain is going to end soon, and that I will finally be free of this curse. I want them to be happy that when I die I will be free. I don't want them to have any regrets. I want them . . . I want them to be happy I was able to make something good happen. And tell Elphaba, I always loved her."

He pulled away, and started screaming at the top of his lungs. He clutched his skull in his hands and started shaking with pain.

"Liiku! What's happening?" Kivvist asked. Je took a step towards him, but Liiku shook his head vigorously and stepped backwards.

"No, no, don't come any closer . . ." Liiku wheezed. "It's . . . it's here . . . I can't . . ." Liiku hissed loudly and let out a deafening roar. His head snapped up and glared at Kivvist with furious yellow eyes. Liiku's lips were pulled back into a snarl, showing off his vicious fangs. He hunched over, still growling and shrieking. Liiku took another few steps backwards. "I can't stop it this time!" Liiku breathed. "I'm sorry! Forgive me!" He then ran out the door as fast as he could and out into hte streets below. Kivvist followed him, but when he reached the streets, the only thing he was able to see was a black figure taking off into the sky, accompanied by a wail of pain.

Kivvist felt his legs go numb. It was all too much to take in at once. He still . . . he still couldn't believe what had happened. He forced himself to make his way back up to his apartment, and almost tripped on the cloak his brother left behind. He picked it up, clutched it in his hands, and let the tears fall.

* * *

He kept his promise. The day after the dragon attacked the Emerald City, Kivvist scoured the entire area until he found Fiyero. He only knew of him because he was the famous Captain of The Guards. And Elphaba was with him, much to his relief. Kivvist found them in a local hospital. Elphaba was sitting next to Fiyero, and wrapping bandages around his torso. Kivvist cleared his throat and knocked on the door.

"I hope I am not interrupting," Kivvist said. "But I have something important to tell you."

Both looked up at him, and Fiyero nodded, pushing himself to his feet. "Of course," he said.

Kivvist had to do his best to not stare. Fiyero was missing his left arm. Kivvist closed his eyes tightly, remembering Liiku's words. "I am sorry to see the terrible dragon crippled you."

Fiyero let out a soft chuckle. "Crippled? Not in the least. I can still stand on my own two feet, can't I?" Elphaba, however, did not look assured at all. She turned away, a hurt and guilty look in her eye. "You're Kivvist, aren't you?"

"That's correct, sir."

"What can I do for you?"

"I am here to deliver a message," Kivvist said. He inhaled deeply. "My brother, Liiku, visited me the night before the attack. And told me to visit you when he died."

Both Elphaba and Fiyero's faces fell, and Elphaba rose to her feet. Her skin had gone noticeably paler, and Fiyero had to steady himself against the bed. "He . . . ?" Fiyero started.

"He told me everything. And he wanted me to give you this final message." Kivvist took another deep breath, and began to retell the events of the night before.

* * *

The city was in absolute jubilation. There was not one face amongst the throngs of citizens filling the streets that was not smiling or cheering or dancing merrily. Shops were closed for the holiday, the holiday of when the great and terrible dragon was killed. Music filled the city. Confetti sprinkled the air. There was not a soul in sight who was not celebrating or cheering.

All except three lone figures, tucked away in a hospital room.

One of which was Kivvist, who bowed his head in revered silence, shaking with silent tears and a morbid feeling of regret and guilt.

The second was Fiyero, now sitting on the hospital bed, his remaining arm wrapped around his dearly beloved Elphaba. He did not cry, but the pain he felt in his heart was more than enough to cripple even the strongest of men. His shoulder was numb where his arm had been severed, and he could almost feel his arm as if it was still there. He closed his eyes and buried his head in Elphaba's hair.

The third and final was Elphaba herself. Her arms were wrapped around Fiyero tightly, and her face was buried into his chest. She cried without restraint. She cried for the unjust death of her friend. She cried for his ultimate sacrifice he had made for her.

"He didn't want us to cry," Fiyero choked out after a good long time. "He . . . he wanted us to be happy. Liiku is finally somewhere where he's no longer in pain."

"I know, but I can't stop," Elphaba stuttered.

Fiyero rubbed her shoulder. "Come on." He stood, and helped Elphaba up as well. "We can't let him die for nothing. Let's make him proud."

Elphaba closed her eyes, and swore to herself she would do just that.

"I won't let him die for nothing."

_**THE END**_


End file.
